Has railfanning ever taken me into unsafe neighborhoods? Hmm... Not sure, but, I know that I've taken myself railfanning in plenty of unsafe neighborhoods before. In fact, In many of them, the folks didn't seem very neighborly at all. I guess you can say that I've railfanned in unsafe 'hoods' many times.
I believe my secret to sucess in not being mugged or beat up or shot at by the apparent criminal element that I've seen and came across is this:
1st, I don't go at night and only when I know that there's action on the line. When I get there I always let the train crew that I'm there by a wave or some other friendly gesture. This is very important. This eases the train crew's nerves and let's them know that I'm not there to interfere with their work and also lends the appearance that I'm there with them. Usually the crew stops when they pass me. That's when I let them know that I'm just a railfan trying to stay safe. So far, this has gotten me nothing but respect.
2nd, I wear railroad compliant clothing so that I appear "official" to the average person. This includes jeans, boots, safety glasses and a high visibility orange safety vest. Not a cheap one either, like the kind you get at Home Depot, a real class-III D.O.T. safety vest with plenty of reflective striping. I don't wear a hard hat, but the ballcap I wear is usually of a railroad, but a different road that where I'm visiting. I think that wearing a hard hat would be over-the-top (no pun intended) and tantamount to impersonating a railroad employee which would certainly be a bad thing if a gum-shoe were to see me. The rest of the garb is just being safe. I would recommend safety attire to anyone railfanning anywhere, anyway. Afterall, safety first. Right?
3rd, I carry a scanner. This really wraps up the whole deal. One look at me and it's...He must be with the railroad, he's got a radio. I'll leave him alone otherwise he'll have the cops here real fast.
4th, I take LOTS OF PICTURES. I stay busy photographing and give the appearance that I have a job to do. Whenever I'm asked (which is very infrequent) by some passer-by what I'm taking pictures of, I tell them that I'm monitoring graffiti for the railroad. That one works really good.
Railfanning in bad areas can be fun, rewarding and safe if it's done correctly. And to me, at least, that means not looking like I don't belong there.
Ted M.
got trains?™
See my photos at: http://tedmarshall.rrpicturearchives.net/
In my previouse life as a newspaper reporter, I covered two somewhat unsafe towns (Selden and Centereach, NY). Whenever I had to go there to take a picture or cover a story, I always used my cheap point-and-shoot camera and was always well aware of my surroundings.
As for railfaning, I try to saty out of bad areas all together. Also I try to stick to established railfan spots. I would rather drive the two hours down to Folkston, GA even thought the CSX mainline passes right through Hardeeville, SC, which is the next town over. Are there safe areas to watch trains in Beaufort or Savannah? I live about 20 minutes from each of them.
One piece of advice I will offer to those railfaning in scetchy areas is to shoot with a disposable camera. They're inexpensive, they take decent pictures and they're not tempting to thieves as they have no resale value.
Also, don't attract attention to yourself. Stay low-key and blend in.
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
I stay in established "railfan" places if you will. I would not deliberately go into an unsafe neighborhood to shoot pictures. Too many risks, in my opinion, just for a bunch of pictures.
However, I have been in some nice neighborhoods where I have had problems with people, so just because an area is "safe", which in my opinion is a relative term anyway, doesn't mean there isn't some cretin out there looking for trouble. Admittedly in a "Bad" neighborhood the chances of getting accosted are higher, in some "nice" neighborhoods, all it takes is one ne'er do well, or a group of them to come along, and decide that that some guy taking pictures is a 'target" either for violence, or mischief.
I always make sure I have a cell phone with me wheneve I am out fanning, and when I may be in a place that is questionable, I make sure that I am not in a dead end street, or an area that minimizes my chances for a quick escape.....
TimChgo9 wrote: I always make sure I have a cell phone with me wheneve I am out fanning, and when I may be in a place that is questionable, I make sure that I am not in a dead end street, or an area that minimizes my chances for a quick escape.....
That's pretty smart. Definitely don't want to paint yourself into a corner.
Hi!
Growing up in Chicago (nw side) in the '50s/'60s, I was quite aware that hanging around the RR tracks was putting yourself in all kinds of danger. I was fortunate that nothing ever happened to me, but that was pure luck.
Living in the Great State of Texas the last 30 years, railfanning has been a much safer experience. However, that again has been pure luck. However, as my other hobby is handguns, I was one of the first to get a Texas concealed handgun license many years ago. I certainly am not a Rambo or John Wayne, but I am never "naked" when I explore potentially dangerous RR sites.
Oh, many of the other 40 states that have concealed carry permits have a reciprocity agreement with Texas. However, my childhood home city/state is not one of them, so I rarely go off the beaten path when I am up there visiting/railfanning.
I realize the above stuff is sensitive to a lot of folks, so if it offends you, please just skip off to the next posting...............
Enjoy,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
No offense here, we are a deadly force state and can shoot a home invader dead. (And several has already happened this year) without fear of prosecution.
I have been lucky shooting trains with a camera, and learned not to have another human within sight when shooting them. Makes it much easier for the few minutes as they go by. Now once in a while you have a small event or trainshow and it is much easier when a number of railfans or modelers get together in a group with some numbers.
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