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As a railfan/railroader I have split reactions to both sides of the issues. Since the Class 1 railroads have become impersonal and the local staffs such as towers and agents have long gone, sometimes it is the faithful railfan who hangs out at his favorite bridge or crossing is most intimately familiar with the environs and has spotted a problem and notified authorities such as law enforcement or railroad operations. I personally called CSX a couple of times after seeing track and signal problems. The reception was callous, cold and humiliating. I swore I'd never call again, and I didn't. One day while unloading a piece of equipment on an adjacent siding next to a CSX main line, a car came by with a failing bearing. I didn't waste the quarter on the call and that evening I learned the train derailed about 40 miles distant because of a bearing failure. It derailed just before passing a hot-box detector. They pulled that car out of the pile the next day. A retired friend used to spend large portions of his days sitting trackside at a favorite crossing watching trains. Several times he spotted mechanical problems and notified local railroad offices befoe bigger problems occurred. He eventually got a hat and coat from the local railroad crews for his volunteer service. Such a small price considering the dramatic costs of a derailment. When the regional management changed he was visited by the railroad police and told not to come around. Now he sits down the street, silently watching as a car with a mechanical problem passes by. How much will his continued silence cost the railroad when the next derailment occurs because a broken brake beam, dropped coupler carrier or defective wheel passed him by and he didn't call under the threat of jail? That is why a vigilant and trustworthy railfan has become an unacknowledged and unpaid but necessary part of the industry. On the railfan side. My job takes me into a wide variety of industrial railroads, which could be classified as short lines. Railfans often visit such sites to take photos. I have witnessed them entering the property and climbing onto cars without ever letting anyone know they are around, just for that special picture. Seeking good pictures and the complementing egos have in some cases gotten way out of control. Railfans are welcomed by many of my clients as long as they check in at the office first, or let the switching crews know of their interest, but better than half don't. I have granted several permission to ride in locomotive cabs just to make sure they were safe ... and in a few cases good photos were provided. Nothing less than safety can be expected and the rights to trespass or ignore safety are not waived for someone who assumes his hobby automatically grants him rights to pursue a good photo. Railroading is dangerous work. I would like to see the AAR issue a safety guide for railfans with some basic protocals of behavior, and for railroads and "Homeland Security" to acknowledge those who have demonstrated their understanding and safety/security skills. Scott97
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