In trouble because he waved.

[edblysard]

One word…..

Unbelievable!

Are these adults?

From both sides….

Nothing better to worry about?.

[Euclid]

This needs a lot more explanation now that Steve G. has brought it up.  Since the railroad and union are said to have reacted so strongly, I would like to know what Steve said to the company in his letter.  It might help put the company reaction in full context. 

I would also like to see what the conductor was doing in this photo-wrecking spree.  To conclude that a trainman getting up in the door to wave was an attempt to wreck the photo may not be accurate.  It could be the conductor standing up for some reason, and then spotting someone who needs a big friendly wave. 

But, if this was a sort of mocking or derisive waving coupled with obvious hostility, then it is probably accurate to conclude hostile intent.  Of course nobody is entitled to be shielded from hostility.  I am just wondering how it looked.  Whatever was going on there, I would feel somewhat lucky to have taken the photo.  The photo might have considerable popular interest if it portrays unprofessional behavior.  The way that it apparently has stirred up a hornet’s nest, makes it seem like unprofessional behavior may have occurred and the company found it to be embarrassing.   

So, I would say to Steve G. that he should post the photos and the letter he wrote.  Also post the letter that the company sent back to him.  I would like to see how this all went down.    

[Convicted One]

Could it be that the employee got in trouble for issues other than the photographer assumes?

 

Perhaps the photo simply provided documentary evidence of the conductor doing other than what his job description calls for,  and the author is mistakenly assuming that the railroad was punishing the employee for " overtly ruining" his hobby?

[Ulrich]

Looks like everyone in this story needs to chill...this can be defused with too simple words "I'm sorry".. coming from any of the parties involved.  Sometimes you've got to say it even when there's enough blame to go around. The bigger man won't hesitate.. 

[Uncle Jake]

It should be noted that the railroad, being a commercial transportation provider, is not under any obligation to provide excellent photgraphic opportunities. Purposely messing up a picture is still rude however. If it had been a tourist railroad then yes, writing the letter would have been warranted. Since it wasn't, I'd just wait for the next train.

[Paul of Covington]

   Euclid, I agree.   I think some people enjoy confrontation.

[Paul of Covington]

zugmann

PS. for some reason I can't get the link to activate.  Power crystals must be broken.

 

   Apparently it's the "...aspx".   I always wondered why so many were complaining about links not activating when I had never had one fail to activate automatically.   After the software upgrade, they still activate except for those ending in "...aspx".

[Euclid]

Is the letter posted somewhere?  I would like to read it. 

Steve says he was not doing anything wrong, and I agree with him.  But then he turns around and says the conductor was harassing him and that was wrong.  Really?  Where is the law or rule that says a person is entitled to not be harassed?  How do you define harassment as it is being alleged by Steve in this instance? 

Whatever “harassment” means, I would be surprised if standing in the locomotive doorway and waving would ever amount to harassment, even if the intent is to ruin the photo.

By the same token, I do not think that writing the letter was wrong (depending on what was actually said).  Steve had the right to write the letter, and the company had a right to complain about it.  Both seem like an overreaction.  Both seem to involve a sense of entitlement.  I am actually more surprised at the reaction of the railroad.

[tree68]

Ahhh, photobombing.

As was alluded to by one commenter, most folks would be extremely upset if some bozo kept inserting themselves into a photo they were trying to take, maybe a keepsake at a scenic wonder or the like.

It would appear this was one in the same.

Can't say as I agree or disagree with the letter.  To me, though, the single biggest point was made by one commenter who noted that this incident had made the company look bad.  

Every picture of a train that appears on a photo site, or in a magazine, or at a slide show is an advertisement for the company.  I'm sure the company wants those pictures to be a positive image.

Some time back we had a forum member who caused a ruckus when he posted that he didn't wave.  That's his option.  This conductor went the other way.

[schlimm]

Deggesty

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/observation-tower/archive/2015/01/28/railroaders-railfans-and-the-letter.aspx

 

Highlight it, do a right click--and you can go to it.

I found it to be interesting.

 

Yes, Johnny, that's what I did, too.   Interesting, but only up to a point.  After awhile, the "equum mortuum verberans" [hopefully that will avoid the wrath of the Latin police on here] state comes into play.  

[Deggesty]

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/observation-tower/archive/2015/01/28/railroaders-railfans-and-the-letter.aspx

 

Highlight it, do a right click--and you can go to it.

I found it to be interesting.

[schlimm]

 tried to activate again and it failed.

[schlimm]

zugmann

Interesting blog piece hiding in in the corner of this website:

 

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/observation-tower/archive/2015/01/28/railroaders-railfans-and-the-letter.aspx

 

Some interesting discussion on there that may amuse some of the people on here that don't venture to that part of the website. 

PS. for some reason I can't get the link to activate.  Power crystals must be broken.

 

 

I couldn't activate it either.  However, I read most of the thread and one phrase the OP Steve used seems to apply: "strikes me as juvenile"   but on ALL sides.   I fail to see what sensible reason there is for train crews deliberately to ruin a picture and I also fail to see why the railfan, who feels so "entitled" needed to report the incident.  Some folks need to grow up and chill.

[BaltACD]

My personal take -

Railfan interjecting himself where he didn't belong in writing the letter.

[zugmann]

Interesting blog piece hiding in in the corner of this website:

 

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/observation-tower/archive/2015/01/28/railroaders-railfans-and-the-letter.aspx

 

Some interesting discussion on there that may amuse some of the people on here that don't venture to that part of the website. 

PS. for some reason I can't get the link to activate.  Power crystals must be broken.