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Your ideas for a railfanning tv show

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Your ideas for a railfanning tv show
Posted by Ted Marshall on Sunday, September 30, 2007 11:25 PM

Hey gang, it seems that my videos were a hit with many of you; I'm flattered.

I'm interested in knowing what you think would make a great tv show if one were to be made on railfanning? Host, history, statistics, musical score, etc. what should be included and what should be left out. Kind of like Fishing with Bill Dance only railfanning with Ted or something like that.

I encourage even the harshest critics to sound in as I welcome all points of view.

This should be a really good thread.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, September 30, 2007 11:52 PM

OK, I'll bite.

--

Steam Locomotives.

NO host!

NO Narration.

NO Music (especially plinkyplanky Geeetars or banjos) and NO singing.

NO "dubbed sound"!  If the video had no sound, don't add any.

Just REAL Trains, with Real Sound.

Steam Locomotives.

Freight Trains, Passenger Trains.

Main line, Switch Yard work, Roundhouse work, Backshop work.

Big Steam Locomotives, Bigger Steam Locomotives.

Pacing shots.  Line side shots.  Views from the side.  Views from above.  Views from below.

Steam Locomotives.

When the train passes the camera location, the camera should pan aimed at the valve gear of the engine (NOT THE BLANK SIDE OF THE TENDER!)

NO shots without the Locomotive in view.  NO long, interminable, views down the line with no train in sight.  (If ya cain't see a locomotive, leave the film on the cutting room floor.)

Did I mention BIG STEAM Locomotives?  Lots of them!

--

I might even get cable if THAT show as on!

(Well, you asked!)

 

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Monday, October 1, 2007 12:49 AM
 Ted Marshall wrote:

Hey gang, it seems that my videos were a hit with many of you; I'm flattered.

I'm interested in knowing what you think would make a great tv show if one were to be made on railfanning? Host, history, statistics, musical score, etc. what should be included and what should be left out. Kind of like Fishing with Bill Dance only railfanning with Ted or something like that.

I encourage even the harshest critics to sound in as I welcome all points of view.

This should be a really good thread.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Keeping production costs down is key, especially early in the run of the show.  I would think that something like a more-serious version of "America's Funniest Videos," would work--let people be their own director, videographer and scenarist.  Solicit video clips from anyone whose work fits a category that fits any of the subjects on this whole TRAINS site.  Ideally a small panel (not fewer than three nor more than seven) of experts, both of railroading in general and television or cable-television in particular-would choose what they consider to be the very best, and there might have to be some balancing of the panel so that no one orientation predominates.  Passenger nostalgia, steam action, toys ancient and modern, modern RR ops, intermodal, transit topics, passeger topics, fallen flags, restoration and RR economics all should have their due IMHO.  (My preference is also to see material about HST in other countries--but not exclusively.)  Not all specialties are guaranteed representation in every show, or in a fixed number; best to keep the quality of the clips paramount and hope you'll receive a wide variety of them for consideration.

I would keep the format rather free-form in the beginning but some rules should exist from the git-go to stress that submitted videotapes are the property of the show, that [for example] no clip should run for more than about four minutes and should be property narrated, whether voice-over or onscreen narration, and editorializing or scurrility will cause a tape to be returned without further consideration.  Information pertinent to the show should be useful and entertaining without much of a stess on specifics--too many people zone out when they think they are being lectured.  If the people who produce the video clips for submission think that their topic is being trivialized in brief news bites, they are free to create a site of their own that would have back-up data, talking points, bibliography or whatever else someone looking for more info would want to check out.  Whether you would let them market their books or CD's is something that should be worked out carefully due to tax consequences (see below). 

What don't I myself want to see?  Talking heads plural gassing about the industry is something -- ugh -- My 2 cents [2c] that would make me shut off the TV.  There should be as minimal a studio component as necessary.  Applied topics -- "Trains at War" or "Railroading Twenty Years From Now" draw ample critique and commentary here in these written posts but are a little too much like documentary material and could not be dealt with adequately in a small clip, nor even a half-hour TV show.  Engaged debating whether political or not.  A single-slant on a topic, such as open access.  Too much in-talk:  especially in broadcast or cable TV, where you run the risk (and the opportunity!) of picking up viewers who are comparatively ignorant on RR'ing in general.  These turn me off and would probably turn off most viewers.  And the show's clips should have enough variety so that one or two of the clips, at least, should interest the bulk of your viewing audience. 

At some point you'll want to get the stuff out there; and if the enterprise is carefully set up as a 501(c)(3) [exemption from federal taxation as a not-for-profit organization] you'll have to mind your p's and q's in terms of fiscal reporting, but due to the lack of taxes it would help to keep your distribution costs low.  You'll need a board, though, and founding members, and incorporation in one or another state of the Union. Distribution/dissemination:  Perhaps marketing DVD's directly thru magazines like TRAINS might work.  Perhaps something more modern, like blogging-up a You Tube-type site for the show, might be the way to go.  The more traditional route would be to interest a syndicator or packager, who would probably edit what you have into a 22-minute "strip" ready to run with pauses for commercials; then he'd find advertising material (large-mouth bass lures, RR folk song) or a broadcast venue (ESPN-2 at three in the morning; you've got to stay modest at first).  Yes, you'll probably have better luck plugging into a sports milieu because that is one of the hungriest parts of the cable medium.  And why not?  Trainspotting is as decent a hobby and sport as anything else.

Such compromises will probably be necessary  to make even the smallest dent in the "big time."  You might even want to structure your enterprise as the kind that takes donations from people, but here again you've got to have financial probity and the strictest standards.  As an object lesson, you might want to look at some of the stuff the AAR has out there; if you're like me it will bore you to tears and offer some great examples of what to avoid!

Put simply, people who are in it for the recognition or money should never have gotten into the show in the first place.  People who will work as a labor of love to see their dream realized -- no matter how small-time at first -- will be the ones who stick.

This idea deserves major "railroading."  I wish you the best.  A. Smalling

al-in-chgo
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Posted by challenger3980 on Monday, October 1, 2007 12:53 AM
 Semper Vaporo wrote:

OK, I'll bite.

--

Steam Locomotives.

NO host!

NO Narration.

NO Music (especially plinkyplanky Geeetars or banjos) and NO singing.

NO "dubbed sound"!  If the video had no sound, don't add any.

Just REAL Trains, with Real Sound.

Steam Locomotives.

Freight Trains, Passenger Trains.

Main line, Switch Yard work, Roundhouse work, Backshop work.

Big Steam Locomotives, Bigger Steam Locomotives.

Pacing shots.  Line side shots.  Views from the side.  Views from above.  Views from below.

Steam Locomotives.

When the train passes the camera location, the camera should pan aimed at the valve gear of the engine (NOT THE BLANK SIDE OF THE TENDER!)

NO shots without the Locomotive in view.  NO long, interminable, views down the line with no train in sight.  (If ya cain't see a locomotive, leave the film on the cutting room floor.)

Did I mention BIG STEAM Locomotives?  Lots of them!

--

I might even get cable if THAT show as on!

(Well, you asked!)

 

Sign - Ditto [#ditto]

Very Well Said, Agree Completely Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

                              Doug

May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails

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Posted by Poppa_Zit on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:17 AM

Not to say you couldn't produce a decent show, but which channel would air such a show? Who would pay for it? Who would sponsor it?

TV isn't about art. It's about money and attracting sponsors and keeping those sponsors by delivering a large enough audience week after week. Plus, you may have to pay a network a fee to air your show, as they only buy shows that can make them money. Every year, people pitch networks with thousands of show ideas, and hundreds of pilots. Wanting to do a TV show or feature film is right up on the list with dreamers people who want to be singing stars, movie stars, highly-paid models, etc. 

Remember all of us here are close to railfanning. But railfans represent a very, very small minority of potential TV viewers. The general public could not care less about railfanning, and TV networks look for mass-appeal shows. You might get some time here and there on public access channels, but in most towns the shows aren't listed in TV guides and no one sees the shows unless they're surfing channels and hit it accidently.

PS -- ditto the above posts (Charles and Al)  and let me add "don't hire Spencer Christian as the host" because he's plastic, vanilla and boring.

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Posted by eolafan on Monday, October 1, 2007 9:08 AM

Try referencing this link and you may get information or ideas from this cable television show which I used to watch and enjoyed quite a bit.

http://www.trainweb.org/tracksideonline/Stations.html

Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim)
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Posted by samfp1943 on Monday, October 1, 2007 10:10 AM
 eolafan wrote:

Try referencing this link and you may get information or ideas from this cable television show which I used to watch and enjoyed quite a bit.

http://www.trainweb.org/tracksideonline/Stations.html

 

Fixed Link  Confused [%-)]

RFD-TV has in the past run a program featuring various videos of Railroad topics, I think they were commercially available; One particular I recall was done on the Chinese Rail across the Himalayas Question [?] and into Tibet--

    Ithe problem with their broadcast strategy seemed to be just to plug this program into a vacant time slot. It ran on Saturday's for a while at 9AM and then disappeared to reappear very late at night. It was almost impossible to track when and where it would be shown.Thumbs Down [tdn]Confused [%-)]

 The History Channel ran the TRAINS Unlimited videos in a regular time slot which was enjoyable, but when the series was runii it too disappeared--BUMMERBanged Head [banghead]

 

 


 

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Posted by SFbrkmn on Monday, October 1, 2007 10:52 AM

Television programs w/a total rr format have already been done in the past. Back in the 90's, both PBS and THC both did series stretched out over several wks. I believe PBS dealt w/modeling while THC did profiles on psgr trains, steam engines, rr police, Wabash and I can't recall the other subjects covered. Also from time to time, someone from Amtrk will take live calls on CSPAN Washington Journal aired early in the morning. When Gunn was head of Amtk, he would be on the program about every two months. Also i forgot about the highly rated documentary PBS did back around 1985 called Love Those Trains. It has long been released on video but every few yrs is still  repeated on PBS. I remember watching it on KPTS in Wichita about 6-7 yrs ago.  In doing historical research, I discovered that in the 1940's, KFBI radio (now KFDI) in Wichita,KS had a brief noontime 'Santa Fe Salute'. The studios sit next to the SF trks north of town. There was a psgr train that would pass by during that time day, a microphone would be stuck out the window, train goes by ,blasts its horn that is heard over the air. Don;t know how long this went on but my 89 yr old Grandma still remembers listening to it.

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Posted by SchemerBob on Monday, October 1, 2007 11:05 AM

Has anybody seen Rail-Videos.net? There are a lot of good videos on there. What they could do is the head people of the website could look through the most popular videos, and select a few for a TV show. They could contact the videographers, and pay them for use of the video, and the videographer could send a high-quality version of their video to the head of the website. Since the video was first on the website, you already know where it was taken, what time of day, etc. Then the Rail-Videos.net people could assemble a TV show with nothing but trains - no narration, just the sounds of the trains and captions.

Long live the BNSF .... AND its paint scheme. SchemerBob
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 12:58 PM
Personally I would like to see some coverage of shortline and regional railroads. To me they are sometimes a little more interesting because of power and the sometimes unique operations. Cab ride videos would be cool too, but you probalby could only get this with a shortline. The music could be left out or added. No banjo or country music. Maybe some Mudvayne or Alice in Chains. But really any kind of coverage would be good, there seems to be a lack of good specials and shows with trains. My coworkers and I joked about a reality show on railroad life. Sorta like Ice Road Truckers but with trains.
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Posted by zugmann on Monday, October 1, 2007 1:04 PM

I hate to burst anyone's bubble... but I just don't think there is enough interest and demand to warrant any train shows.  Your only hope is a broader show that occasionally covers train topics (like on Discovery and History).

A railroad life show?  It will never happen.  Railroads won't let the public be exposed to the working conditions that we (the movers of dangerous commodities) have to live.

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 1:12 PM
 zugmann wrote:

I hate to burst anyone's bubble... but I just don't think there is enough interest and demand to warrant any train shows.  Your only hope is a broader show that occasionally covers train topics (like on Discovery and History).

A railroad life show?  It will never happen.  Railroads won't let the public be exposed to the working conditions that we (the movers of dangerous commodities) have to live.

 

Truth is, that's there are only two ways to do it and sell it. 

The  first is something that follows the lives of a certain group of rails who operate in extremely tough conditions... much like ICE TRUCKERS and MOST DANGEROUS CATCH.  If you could find a railroad willing to go along with such a show and the conditions on its line were extreme, you might have a shot with one of the cable outlets (most likely DISCOVERY). 

The only other possibility I see is a travel show, along the lines of the PBS series from ten years ago, about great train rides.  That show was very nicely shot, but it made the mistake of not having a host.  Travel shows are best with a guide, as opposed to an omniscient voice.

A clip show as some have described would only appeal to railfans and wouldn't have any market.

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Posted by Namerifrats on Monday, October 1, 2007 1:20 PM
I agree with the first post about NO MUSIC. I don't know why so many train videos have all that corny bluegrass or whatever it is. Just let the sound be whats on the tape.
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Posted by zugmann on Monday, October 1, 2007 1:35 PM
I don't think having an hour long show showing a crew sleeping at a stop signal is quite on par with "Deadliest Catch"...

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 1:41 PM

 zugmann wrote:
I don't think having an hour long show showing a crew sleeping at a stop signal is quite on par with "Deadliest Catch"...

I'm guessing you skipped over the "extremely tough conditions" part of my post.

It would have to be something like Machu Pico or the Trans Siberean Express (but neither of those would work because the crews don't speak English).  I'm not saying such an operation exists, I'm just saying that if you don't find a DEADLIEST CATCH type angle, there's simply no chance.

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Posted by Poppa_Zit on Monday, October 1, 2007 5:16 PM
 zugmann wrote:

I hate to burst anyone's bubble... but I just don't think there is enough interest and demand to warrant any train shows.  Your only hope is a broader show that occasionally covers train topics (like on Discovery and History).

A railroad life show?  It will never happen.  Railroads won't let the public be exposed to the working conditions that we (the movers of dangerous commodities) have to live.

I agree, zugmann.

Bright ideas cost nothing, nor does generating enthusiam for such a project. Being of the pragmatic bent, and having been involved in similar projects, I'm still waiting for someone to explain where the funding will come from.

Finding a place to air it will be the next problem to solve after gaining the necessary funding. But first the funding issue must be solved.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. They are not entitled, however, to their own facts." No we can't. Charter Member J-CASS (Jaded Cynical Ascerbic Sarcastic Skeptics) Notary Sojac & Retired Foo Fighter "Where there's foo, there's fire."
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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 5:22 PM
 Poppa_Zit wrote:
 zugmann wrote:

I hate to burst anyone's bubble... but I just don't think there is enough interest and demand to warrant any train shows.  Your only hope is a broader show that occasionally covers train topics (like on Discovery and History).

A railroad life show?  It will never happen.  Railroads won't let the public be exposed to the working conditions that we (the movers of dangerous commodities) have to live.

I agree, zugmann.

Bright ideas cost nothing, nor does generating enthusiam for such a project. Being of the pragmatic bent, and having been involved in similar projects, I'm still waiting for someone to explain where the funding will come from.

Finding a place to air it will be the next problem to solve after gaining the necessary funding. But first the funding issue must be solved.

Well - it depends.  If you sell something to a cable network first, they will fund most of it, or all of it (in which case they take ownership).  If you're doing something for PBS they will allow you to use their prestige to try and get a corporate sponsor to fund it.

The problem with a project like this is it isn't viable if you're trying to appeal to railfans.  Too small an audience.

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Posted by Expresslane on Monday, October 1, 2007 5:23 PM

 

    Anyone ever heard of the show " Tracks Ahead ". The host is or was Spencer Christian I think. Was or still is on Milwaukee PBS station. It covered railroads and the model railroad world too. Not sure if they will have any new shows on next year or not.

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Posted by Steam Is King on Monday, October 1, 2007 5:36 PM
 Erie Lackawanna wrote:
 Poppa_Zit wrote:
 zugmann wrote:

I hate to burst anyone's bubble... but I just don't think there is enough interest and demand to warrant any train shows.  Your only hope is a broader show that occasionally covers train topics (like on Discovery and History).

A railroad life show?  It will never happen.  Railroads won't let the public be exposed to the working conditions that we (the movers of dangerous commodities) have to live.

Being of the pragmatic bent, and having been involved in similar projects, I'm still waiting for someone to explain where the funding will come from.

Well - it depends.  If you sell something to a cable network first, they will fund most of it, or all of it (in which case they take ownership).  If you're doing something for PBS they will allow you to use their prestige to try and get a corporate sponsor to fund it.

First, networks don't buyideas.  The concept of a railfan/train show is far too vague for Ted or anyone else to claim a copyright violation should a netwrok somedayoriginate such a show. Next, TV networks don't sit on huge piles of exrta cash waiting for someone to come in with such a vague concept. If you can get an interview in the first place(good luck), You need to presnt a working business plan, a number of scripts with storyboards, production costs, porduction schedlues, a working budget, shooting locatiuons, in this case signed ac=greements with any railroads that own shooting locations that are off-limits to the public, liability releases, etc;all netwroks have numerous profesional production houses alreasdy associated with them that they contract such programs with. Bill Kurtis is one such producer. So the chances of a cable network paying Ted for his vague concept and hiring him (a totally inexperienced entity) and fronting him money for production is a pipe dream. Not a chance. i don;t mean to be a Gloomy Gus but you asked.

Chico

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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 5:45 PM
 Steam Is King wrote:
 Erie Lackawanna wrote:
 Poppa_Zit wrote:
 zugmann wrote:

I hate to burst anyone's bubble... but I just don't think there is enough interest and demand to warrant any train shows.  Your only hope is a broader show that occasionally covers train topics (like on Discovery and History).

A railroad life show?  It will never happen.  Railroads won't let the public be exposed to the working conditions that we (the movers of dangerous commodities) have to live.

Being of the pragmatic bent, and having been involved in similar projects, I'm still waiting for someone to explain where the funding will come from.

Well - it depends.  If you sell something to a cable network first, they will fund most of it, or all of it (in which case they take ownership).  If you're doing something for PBS they will allow you to use their prestige to try and get a corporate sponsor to fund it.

The problem with a project like this is it isn't viable if you're trying to appeal to railfans.  Too small an audience.

First, networks don't buyideas.The concept of a railfan/train show is far too vague for Ted or anyone else to claim a copyright violation should a netwrok somedayoriginate such a show. Next, TV networks have numerous profesional production houses alreasdy associated with them that they contract such programs with. Bill Kurtis is one such producer. So the chances of a cable network paying Ted for his vague concept and hiring him (a totally inexperienced entity) and fronting him money for production is a pipe dream. Not a chance.

Chico

Chico - I'm not sure where you saw in one word of the quote you took (either zugmann, Poppa Zit or me) even a hint of a suggestion that we believed that Ted's idea would sell or that he could copyright it.  Please try not to attack others making it sound as if they said things that they never did.

I worked in television for more than 20 years.  Networks buy ideas all the time.  (They're not going to buy a railfanning one, you're right, but that doesn't change the fact that they most certainly do buy ideas.)  If the networks like your idea they will hook you up with their own studio and showrunners that they trust. This is how it works.  You need to have a track record of some kind, but that can be stageplays, books, or other non television mediums.

I do agree with you 100% that no one will buy an amorphous railfanning show. I also don't believe anyone would by a pure railfanning show from Jerry Bruckheimer either.  The quote you took was about how shows get funded, not an endorsement of Ted's dream.

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Posted by Steam Is King on Monday, October 1, 2007 6:02 PM
 Erie Lackawanna wrote:

Chico - I'm not sure where you saw in one word of the quote you took (either zugmann, Poppa Zit or me) even a hint of a suggestion that we believed that Ted's idea would sell or that he could copyright it.  Please try not to attack others making it sound as if they said things that they never did.

I worked in television for more than 20 years.  Networks buy ideas all the time.  (They're not going to buy a railfanning one, you're right, but that doesn't change the fact that they most certainly do by ideas.)  If the networks like your idea they will hook you up with their own studio and showrunners that they trust. This is how it works.  You need to have a track record of some kind, but that can be stageplays, books, or other non television mediums.

I do agree with you 100% that no one will buy an amorphous railfanning show. I also don't believe anyone would by a pure railfanning show from Jerry Bruckheimer either.  The quote you took was about how shows get funded, not an endorsement of Ted's dream.

erie i have trouble typing these days and you responded before I finshed editing my original post. Do not accuse me of attacking anyone because I did not as you did to me. i never adressd comments made by any of those people and you can't show us where I did.I wasn't refuting anyone in the posts above.You should read for meaning be=fore you start pointing fingers at people and I don't like your jumping all over me.I was speaking only to Ted and tryimng to explain the reality of where he is now (pre-pre-pre-conceptual stage} and where he needs to go. When I said networks don't buy ideas i meant unknown people can't just call up a networks and get an apopointment based on "I have an idea for a railfan show." Because they don't like their time wasted.yes I know they buy ideas once in a very blue moon but you need to be established, like haveing written a book or a play or as I said a script.We're not talking about those types of people, we're talking about Ted here. They don't hire untrained inexperiencedamateurs.You echo my points now that I finished. But this is what always happens here when someone asks others to tell the truth or for constructive criticism.Those who are only trying to be honest get flamed for attacking people either by the person who asked or by someone else. since you brought it up to bolster your points, what are your TV credentials?

Chico    

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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 6:23 PM

Chico,

I am sorry for taking your words the wrong way, but if you go back and read what you wrote, you'll understand why I saw them as I did (even if that's not how you meant them).  Also, when you have a chance, go back and look at what I wrote, there's not a single attack against you. I defended us (in this case clearly not from your inention but from how it read to me).

All of which is terribly off topic.  Truth of the matter is you and I agree 100% on the possible outcome of such a project.  It will never even get to the point that it's pitched to a network because it has no one with a track record and it's aimed at a miniscule audience.

Please accept my apologies for offending you.  If you re-read my post you'll see that was not my intent.  My strident tone may have been excessive, but I was trying to say that people do buy ideas. And where I do still disagree with you is that it actually happens all the time, it's constant.  But maybe we can just agree to disagree on that point?

Charles 

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Posted by Steam Is King on Monday, October 1, 2007 6:29 PM
 Erie Lackawanna wrote:

Chico,

I am sorry for taking your words the wrong way, but if you go back and read what you wrote, you'll understand why I saw them as I did (even if that's not how you meant them).  Also, when you have a chance, go back and look at what I wrote, there's not a single attack against you. I defended us (in this case clearly not from your inention but from how it read to me).

All of which is terribly off topic.  Truth of the matter is you and I agree 100% on the possible outcome of such a project.  It will never even get to the point that it's pitched to a network because it has no one with a track record and it's aimed at a miniscule audience.

Please accept my apologies for offending you.  If you re-read my post you'll see that was not my intent.  My strident tone may have been excessive, but I was trying to say that people do buy ideas. And where I do still disagree with you is that it actually happens all the time, it's constant.  But maybe we can just agree to disagree on that point?

Charles 

OK, done, no problem. I just sometimes post and go back and edit. I have medical problems with my hands and sometimes they do wehat they want, not what I want.

I love the smell of coal smoke in the morning! I am allergic to people who think they are funny, but are not. No, we can't. Or shouldn't, anyway.
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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 6:32 PM

I have to edit nearly 90% of what I post.  I certainly sympathize.  In my case it's just that my brain doesn't always engage 100% until after I press post.

Charles Freericks
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Posted by Ted Marshall on Monday, October 1, 2007 7:26 PM

Hey guys, thanks for your input.

I also have my doubts about whether my idea will take off or not. Originally, it was intended for the entertainment of those who belong to this group as well as other railfans who aren't members of the Trains Magazine forum.

My focus is on creating a pilot to be aired right here via the internet. I wish to use the input from those interested as the foundation upon which my show will be built upon. I'll let you guys decide if you'd like to see more of my show. If so, I'll use the reviews that I get from you and then go from there.

I happen to know some people in the mass media business and have pitched the idea to them. Their suggestion to me was to see what my peers think about it by conducting an unofficial survey and return to them with a pilot episode to view for themselves. At best, I'll get it aired on public access at 4am. At worst, I'll have something to share with my grandkids.

Seems to me that some of you are conveying the message that I shouldn't waste my time on such a fruitless endeavor; I respect that. I understand such an idea might not have mass appeal, but I'm not targeting the masses with it.  

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Posted by Erie Lackawanna on Monday, October 1, 2007 7:35 PM

Hey Ted,

So much of what we do and think is dependent on the context. You are absolutely correct, we were discouraging you, but we were doing that in the context that you were proposing a television show.

Now knowing that you are proposing an internet show, pieced together by volunteers and with love, I would say go full barrel.  There's no reason not to pursue that show.

One of the beatiful things about the internet is that it is a democratized form of media.  Everyone has a voice and a vote.  You can also win by attracting a small target audience.

In light of my new understanding of what you intend, I would say, keep the clips short, use real train noise when you have it, and don't do much commetary, although pointing out things to notice is always fun.

CF

Charles Freericks
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 7:40 PM
I think we all get it. There probably isn't anyone who would be interested in doing a show like this. Trust me I know how boring sitting in a siding for 8+ hours is. I think what Ted is asking for is input on what you would want in a show if it were ever to materialize.
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Posted by Ted Marshall on Monday, October 1, 2007 7:50 PM
 Ted Marshall wrote:

I'm interested in knowing what you think would make a great tv show if one were to be made on railfanning?

 

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Posted by edblysard on Monday, October 1, 2007 10:52 PM

If I read you right, you mean to produce a show on the hobby of rail fanning, not focused on trains exclusively, but the people who watch trains and how they go about it?

 

If that's the case, I doubt it will get much past the first installment, simply because it is a lone wolf sport of sorts.

Rarely do people rail fan in groups.

From what I have seen, it is either a single person, or two people, maybe father and son or a pair of friends, almost never more than two at a time.

 

And I think that is simply because it is a very personal type of thing.

Everyone enjoys trains in a slightly different manner...for Carl Shaver, its getting to see a particular type of freight car he has been looking for, to record its reporting marks and what train it was in, the guys probably has several hundred of those little spiral pocket note pads full of "catches" or finds and a car data base second to none.

For me, its simple the enjoyment of watching the train, the sounds and smells, the flange squeal, the occasional photo... for others, it is the locomotive front and center, getting that one personal great photo....but each one of us enjoys the train is a different way.

 

Most of the fans I know go train watching not only for the trains, but for a chance to be alone, think through problems, or simply relax after a hard day...they don't want to share that time with anyone else, much less with a large group.

Not to say you can't find or wouldn't be able to rustle up a few extroverts who would love to be the focus of attention, but most fans are a little more of the solitary type, who rather watch than be noticed.

 Ted Marshall wrote:
 Ted Marshall wrote:

I'm interested in knowing what you think would make a great tv show if one were to be made on railfanning?

 

23 17 46 11

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 1:45 AM
Law and Order: Special Foamers Squad....

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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