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Night railfanning
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I had one bad experience while doing some night railfanning. When I lived in <br />Marion, Iowa I was listening to my scanner tuned to the C&NW road <br />frequency while working on my model railroad. It was late on a Friday night <br />and I heard the dispatcher say something about "Beverly Yard", and "CNW <br />Business Train" and "westbound". <br /> <br />So I decided I'd head-out to Fairfax which is a small town just west of <br />Beverly Yard (the yard is south of Cedar Rapids along Hwy. 30). I drove <br />down Hwy 151 to Fairfax and pulled-into town there and parked in a <br />public lot next to the tracks, across from an old grain elevator - that same <br />spot is a favorite locale for Eastern Iowa railfans (great perspective in <br />both directions, trackside signals to give early warning, tracks are near <br />public parking to allow you to get close legally). I parked and waited with <br />the domelight on, reading one of my MorningSide RR picture books. <br /> <br />Not long afterward, and mind you I have all the respect in the world for <br />police officers, a Linn County deputy sheriff walks up to my driver side <br />window, shines his flashlight directly into my eyes to blind me and says, <br />"Are you having a problem?" in a real accusatory tone. I said, "No - I am <br />waiting for the business train to come by - I was hoping to get a photo." <br />He replied with an irritated tone of voice (he sounded like a younger <br />guy), "What do you mean 'business train', sir? Is that really why you're <br />out here??!!" <br /> <br />I was a little surprised and said, "It's a passenger train for railroad <br />execs - I heard them mention it on my scanner. This is public parking <br />so I parked here. Is that OK?" He got even more irritated and said, "It <br />seems a little strange for someone to be parked here at 11:30 at night <br />looking for trains. When I ask you a question just answer it and keep <br />your mouth shut otherwise!" I didn't argue, just put my hands up to <br />show I wasn't contesting him and said nothing more. He remained <br />parked up the street until, sure enough, the CNW biz train did come <br />by, westbound, led by what appeared to be an SD40-2 and an old <br />"B" unit probably used as a heating car, with I believe 6 cars (one I <br />know was a UP coach). <br /> <br />I know I was pretty steamed about the treatment I'd received. He <br />probably assumed I was maybe a burglar or predator of some <br />variety. A guy parks by the tracks in public parking, reading a RR <br />picture book with the domelight on - seems hard to understand <br />how I'd be up to some evil purposes in that posture.
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