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.
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
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.....
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.
Ted M.
got trains?™
See my photos at: http://tedmarshall.rrpicturearchives.net/
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.
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
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.
RudyRockvilleMD wrote:This is a good example of the saying, "no good dead ever goes unpunished."
Oops-a slight typo...but, it's probably true this way, too.
Not trying to pick on you RRMD-it's just reassuring to find typos besides mine on the forums.
Convicted One wrote:Couple weeks ago I was out railfanning after a significant snow storm, and came upon one of the Norfolk Southern dicks, stranded in his blazer off the side of the service road.\He had dug in to the point of bottoming out. I remembered some 2X10's and old fork lift pallets about a quarter mile back down the siding, so I went and got them, helped the guy get his truck unstuck.....and he wanted to cite me for trespassing.I had never been in the system before, so I got off with a warning. BUT TALK ABOUT GRATITUDE!
Couple weeks ago I was out railfanning after a significant snow storm, and came upon one of the Norfolk Southern dicks, stranded in his blazer off the side of the service road.\
He had dug in to the point of bottoming out. I remembered some 2X10's and old fork lift pallets about a quarter mile back down the siding, so I went and got them, helped the guy get his truck unstuck.....and he wanted to cite me for trespassing.
I had never been in the system before, so I got off with a warning. BUT TALK ABOUT GRATITUDE!
I had the opposite happen to me once.
I was young and stupid and driving my beater '76 toyota through deep snow drifts at Blossburg, MT on MRL's Mullan Pass line. It was mid-winter, cold, and windy. An MRL company truck appeared. Turned out to be a MOW crew that had been working inside Mullan Tunnel. They asked me if I had 4-wheel drive and seemed concerned about my well-being. I said "no, I don't have 4WD" and thanked them. Also, so they wouldn't worry, I said I was on my way out.
Convicted One wrote: Couple weeks ago I was out railfanning after a significant snow storm, and came upon one of the Norfolk Southern dicks, stranded in his blazer off the side of the service road.\He had dug in to the point of bottoming out. I remembered some 2X10's and old fork lift pallets about a quarter mile back down the siding, so I went and got them, helped the guy get his truck unstuck.....and he wanted to cite me for trespassing.I had never been in the system before, so I got off with a warning. BUT TALK ABOUT GRATITUDE!
That is so amazing fupped duck that it gives me a headache trying to think down to the mentality of someone as stupid and moronic as that imbicile!!
What ticks me off about it all, is that I lost my "one time immunity" over the ordeal.
Now that I am officially in their system, any next time becomes my second offense...and I will be open to prosecution.
I had great comfort in knowing that I still had a "freebie". to protect me..which unfortunately is long gone now
eolafan wrote: Convicted One wrote: Couple weeks ago I was out railfanning after a significant snow storm, and came upon one of the Norfolk Southern dicks, stranded in his blazer off the side of the service road.\He had dug in to the point of bottoming out. I remembered some 2X10's and old fork lift pallets about a quarter mile back down the siding, so I went and got them, helped the guy get his truck unstuck.....and he wanted to cite me for trespassing.I had never been in the system before, so I got off with a warning. BUT TALK ABOUT GRATITUDE! If you ever see that jerk again in a similar fix, just give him a big "Cheshire cat" grin and keep on driving. Hopefully THEN he will learn his lesson...EVERY DOG HAS HIS/HER DAY...WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
If you ever see that jerk again in a similar fix, just give him a big "Cheshire cat" grin and keep on driving. Hopefully THEN he will learn his lesson...EVERY DOG HAS HIS/HER DAY...WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
Yeah no kidding.
Maybe you could give him a little 'love' tap at about 50 MPH and make sure that he needs one of those NS sd70's to pull him out. Sure you'd wreck the car, but your point would be made, right?
All in all I would really have to try hard not to laugh at the guy if I would have been in your shoes.
Tharmeni wrote: My buddy and I were in a bowling alley parking lot in Butler, Indiana at 2 a.m. one time and were awaiting the Detroit Express on the Wabash when a cop car pulled up, the cops grabbed us, cuffed us and took us to jail. We didn't realize that a silent burglar alarm had gone off in the bowling alley, but in retrospect, it was a stupid thing for us to be doing. The only consolation was that while we were in the back of the cop car, we got to see the train go through on its way from St. Louis to Detroit. The cops were actually quite nice once they realized that we were railfans and we bought them breakfast on the way back to our car.
My buddy and I were in a bowling alley parking lot in Butler, Indiana at 2 a.m. one time and were awaiting the Detroit Express on the Wabash when a cop car pulled up, the cops grabbed us, cuffed us and took us to jail.
We didn't realize that a silent burglar alarm had gone off in the bowling alley, but in retrospect, it was a stupid thing for us to be doing.
The only consolation was that while we were in the back of the cop car, we got to see the train go through on its way from St. Louis to Detroit.
The cops were actually quite nice once they realized that we were railfans and we bought them breakfast on the way back to our car.
There is an ugly fence there now to discourage the curious photographers.
I'm surprised there was more than one officer on-duty at night in Butler.
Poppa_Zit wrote: I'm not trying to be mean. But it makes me uncomfortable to hear railfans using language that paints themselves as some sort of martyrs, that's all. Sorry, there's nothing heroic about voluntarily taking railroad pictures in run-down neighborhoods.
I'm not trying to be mean. But it makes me uncomfortable to hear railfans using language that paints themselves as some sort of martyrs, that's all. Sorry, there's nothing heroic about voluntarily taking railroad pictures in run-down neighborhoods.
I saw nothing in that person's post that indicated he was some kind of martyr nor that he was portraying himself as heroic. You are exaggerating. Of course, that's my opinion, since as you like to point-out, the public forum's postings are for everyone's scrutiny.
Erie Lackawanna wrote:Seriously????? Wow.
That's what I thought as well..."wow"..lol. The point deserving emphasis being, is that I didn't feel imperiled until the guy in the white blazer started throwing his weight around.
Y6bs evergreen in my mind
Falls Valley RR ; how right you are bout Hunts point. Be it railfanning or doing your job its' called survival . As Sinatra used to say , " thats life" .
Best to you and Big Red Respectfully , Cannonball
I might deliver sticks of butter into Hunts Point one night and come out with several cases of damaged goods. The boxes would be damaged and not acceptable by the market so they get hauled back home to be resold.
Well... that butter was more valuable than dollars to the hungry workers along downtown and Jersey in some places.. for trade.. I never had to have any butter left when I did get back to the home yard that week.
The boss would complain about the losses in the few dozens of dollars but I explain to him that he does not have to recover a stripped truck, trailer and possible a dead driver or worse.
It takes money or valuable useful things to grease the skids and make the world go around in bad areas. I think sometimes of many people who live thier lives in safety and bliss without fear of knife or hook whatsoever when they sit down to eat that meal.
Seriously????? Wow.
Many years ago some friends and I got stuck in the snow in a Conrail Yard (frankly, trespassing, but in no way in an unsafe location - don't flame me please, it was 30 years ago and I don't do it anymore). Conrail truck came up on us. Thought for sure we were going to be cited or worse. Instead hejust came up to our car's bumper and shoved hard, pushing us out of the ditch.
WIAR wrote: Poppa_Zit wrote: Nothing personal, but this interpretation of taking railroad pictures in declining neighborhoods is still a bit too dramatic for me. I don't see anything too dramatic about the interpretation. The person makes a good point - I don't see why you have to belittle his views.
Poppa_Zit wrote: Nothing personal, but this interpretation of taking railroad pictures in declining neighborhoods is still a bit too dramatic for me.
Nothing personal, but this interpretation of taking railroad pictures in declining neighborhoods is still a bit too dramatic for me.
When anyone posts volunteers their opinions on this type of public forum, those opinions are open to public scrutiny and commentary. When a person chooses to write:
"I know that there is a good statistical chance that one day I may run into a serious problem while filming at Camden's Bulson St. Yard or in the back of some factory along the NEC in North Philly but if you want to photograph places and things that need to be documented before they are gone then you have to do this. I am not suicidal and have no death wish and I exercise prudence but I cannot allow fear to dictate how I will document America's railroads."
I have two friends who were embedded media in combat areas during the Iraq War, where there was real physical danger, not someone's perceived danger of a declining industrial area (maybe some people watch too much TV). And when they tell their stories of Iraq, they aren't nearly as dramatic. They just shrug their shoulders and say, "I was doing my job".
kevikens wrote:For me railfanning is NOT just a hobby. I am in my forty second year of teaching history at the high school level (now THAT'S dangerous) and I know the value of the photographic record as an aid to the understanding of history. I constantly look for photos of places and things now gone especially of industrial America here in the Northeast where much of it is fast disintegrating. Just recently the town of Riverside, NJ demolished an old knitting mill of beautiful red brick, several stories high, adjacent to the old PRR Bordentown Secondary Track. That track was the original Camden and Amboy, circa 1830's. I took some pictures just before it came down with the new RiverLine light rail going past. Perhaps the children of my students will see that picture 50 years from now and wonder about things called "factories". Most of the establishments that I have phographed (many, many now gone) have been with trains as part of the landscape, I guess as a reminder of how linked industry and the rails once were. I also photograph rail transit within our cities with people and buildings as part of the picture. Again I see myself not taking pictures just as a hobby, though I do enjoy it, but as a person documenting what will be tomorrow"s "good old days". To get those images I must go into some of our more gritty areas. Is there a real danger in doing this ? Yes, probably so but for me it is an acceptable risk. Everytime I look at photos from the Civil War through the Industrial Revolution to the opening of the West to the Great Depression I thank those photographers for doing what they did, probably at some inconvenience or even physical danger. No, fellow photographers, it is not just a hobby and perhaps the pictures that you now take as an avocation will one day prove to be of historical importance to a generation of rail fans yet unborn. Perhaps it has become my passion and if you cannot share in it please allow me the indulgence to make that choice for myself without fear of being put down by folks I thought might have better understood my motives.
Falls Valley RR; Have you or your driver friends ever rolled into South Bronx Produce Row At 2:00 a.m. ?? Some of the Lumpers who would jump on the truck to shut down the reefer were o.k. , but you never knew for sure. We turned on cablite after Shirl hung her 357 mag on the mike hook , my glock 40 was sticking out my front zipper pocket . They seemed to change ones intent considerably.~~~ Night Crawlers , Ahhh Life is good. The railsidings were not much better, even with security one didnt' go there at night.
Be well friend. Respectfully, Cannonball
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.