Railroad Engineers Waving as a Train Passes

[McMinn TN]

The boys woke up early this morning, so I took them out to the CNOTP.  We had an autorack train follow us from Spring City (TN) to Oakdale.  With the wife's car in the shop, we were in the big red heavy chevy farm truck, so when we passed them for the 3rd time in Oakdale, I was surprized to see the huge waves from the engineer.  We were going the opposite direction and by the time I saw her through the window tinting, I did not have time to wave back before we were out of range.  I had waved at them in Roddy, so I guess we are even.

[seppburgh2]

Short back-in-the-day story.  Growing up along the Lackawanna, if I was a good kid my parents took me to see the Lake Shore Limited come through Convent Station at dusk (Dad called it the Phoebe Snow and to this day that's who she was. What we would do is stand way back on the East bound platform (Lake Shore on the West bound track) and Mom, Dad, and Son would all wave white hankerchiefs.  My Dad would say it was the proper way to wave at a passing train.

That was back in the early and mid 60's, I'm 58 now. 

Let me ask this, do people still wave white hankerchiefs at passing trains?

And if your an NS driver around Harrisburg and a red Trans Am passes by beeping his horn and giving a peace sign throught the open 'T' roof, that the original Phoebe Snow kid going by!

[Northtowne]

I supose you would say that I railfan. I'm not the usual type; I don't know all the nuts and bolts and loco id clues. I like trains because I grew up in a railroad family, lived only three blocks from the Katy main line till I was grown. I "railfan" on the NS, AGS div. I have a white Ford Expedition and NS has a lot of the same along with similiar Explorers. When I park to wait for trains I almost always get more than a glance from the cab crew. And a wave and seems like an extra whistle or two at the next road crossing. Maybe its that at first sight I might be taken for supervisory personell, I don't know. But I almost always get a nice acknowledgement. Which is a good thing; they are all cordial.

Northtowne

[ValleyX]

Murphy Siding

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Well that brings up an interesting question.  As a retired railroad guy, do you wave at engineers?

 

 

Actually, I've seen very few trains since I retired.  There are no railroads very near my home and I don't generally go to the parts of town where they are.   I spend the winters elsewhere, where the closest railroad was abandoned twenty years ago, minimum.  However, I would wave, most certainly.

[Ulrich]

I took my daughter out with me to railfan in the summer, and when she waved the engineer blew her a kiss (I'm sure it was for her and not me). 

[Semper Vaporo]

I was stopped at a grade crossing the other day and waived to the engineer... A sort of friendly "tip of the hat" or 'salute' type of gesture.  He did acknowledge my wave with a gesture of his own, but I don't think anyone could construe his acknowledgement as a "wave". When I smiled, he did it again to be sure I understood the kind of day he was having.

[Murphy Siding]

ValleyX

Talk about dredging up a topic from the past. I see that my posted response was made when I still had to work for another 4 1/2 years, now I'm coming up on 4 years retired. Which may go a long ways to explaining why I don't post a lot anymore. Thanks for the blast from the past.

 

     Well that brings up an interesting question.  As a retired railroad guy, do you wave at engineers?

[ValleyX]

Talk about dredging up a topic from the past. I see that my posted response was made when I still had to work for another 4 1/2 years, now I'm coming up on 4 years retired. Which may go a long ways to explaining why I don't post a lot anymore. Thanks for the blast from the past.

[Anonymous]

Its was a good day....cause he was moving. 

[Murphy Siding]

     Just had a BNSF engineer wave- must have been having a good day.

[Wolverine]

Hey might have been having a bad day....maybe he hit a car a week earlier....its the life....give some room....thanks, we appreciate it   sincerly conductor wolverine

[Wolverine]

Anonymous, albiet 9 years ago...perhaps some of you will read this, I hope you do as well...I can tell you that there is a great deal of responsibility when operating and handling an engine...there are times where the engineer is at a key critical stage of operation and is completly absorbed in the handling of his train....same goes for the conductor who might be handling a great deal of track information that is required also to make sure the safety of many people is observed....dont stop waving, sometimes we're just busy working...the mass majority of us love giving a wave, and a little honk of the horn when we can...sincerly, Conductor Wolverine

[Gluefinger]

Here's a new one.....last week I was shooting trains in my area and as a freight came, the conductor covered his face with his hands - looking like he was yawning/rubbing his eyes...but I'm guessing he just didn't want to be on camera.

[Anonymous]

I always wave unless it's too late or the weather is inclement. In what must by now be hundreds of sightings, I'd say I get a wave back between half and two-thirds of the time. I've only gotten the finger once[:0], and the flat or back-of-the-hand "no-nos" a few times.

Generally do much better with train engineers than truck drivers, also on the strongarmed "Blow your horn!" request.

[coborn35]

You use alot of abbreviations huh zapp................
just kidding i usually do too.

[zapp]

I'll wave at people at a crossing if they at me,but alot of th' time they aren't waving th' right hand signal,so I don't.
And then there's these new units with th' blacked out windows. Alot of th' time I can't see anybody,n they're a apin to try n open alot of th' time.
So don't take it too personally if you don't get a wave back,and oh yeah,if your on th' cornductor's side,he's probably asleep!

[Tharmeni]

Once while waiting for a long B&O freight train to pass my very rural crossing in Southern Indiana, I spotted a hot box (actually on fire) on one of the cars in about the middle of the train. I franctically yelled "hotbox", pointed and waved at the fellow in the caboose and he gave me a big smile and wave back! I went to a nearby country general store and called the railroad and I have to assume that they relayed it to the crew. No cell phones back then!

[BNSFGP38]

I generally do and if I am stopped for a bit I offer a quick cab tour, kids always get a special horn toot as well. I figured thats what got me into trains when I was young, so why not pass it on. [8D]


I am the engineer that you wish was on every train..........[:o)]

[Tharmeni]

I usually get a wave - not often from the CSX engineers, but I don't why that is. I once waved at an engineer running the B&O's National Limited and was hit in the leg by a mailbag. I was at an non-passenger station in Illinois, although I can't remember the town's name.

[Gluefinger]

Most of the time they wave...but on two occassions there have just been grumpy-looking glances....

[dknelson]

Maybe engineers still wave because they tend to come from small towns or rural areas where lots of people wave at strangers.
Back in the days of the Milwaukee Road engineers would frequently toss out train orders for railfans. There is an engineer on the former MIlw Road CP line through Milwaukee who flashes a blue flashlight at dusk.
An enginner of a Wisconsin Central/CN train stopped at a signal came out of his cab, approached another railfan and me, and gave us two bottles of ice cold water (it was a hot day), and talked about the closing of the Fond du Lac shops.
Down at Brighton Park IL a passing engineer on an NS frieght leaned out of the cab, grinned, pointed to the rails he was on and yelled "New York Central." He was correct - those were former NYC tracks.
Dave Nelson

[NellsChoo]

I usually don't wave if alone unless they wave first. But there have been times that I was standing there, snapping photos, and when I get home and view the photos, I see the crew was waving!

[Anonymous]

I wave at every train an dalmost everytime some waves back.

[espee]

Like everyone else, I usually get a wave back. I have had some train crews open the windows as they approach and then wave. When the Tennessee Pass line was still in operation, I got to know a lot of the crews. When they seen me sometimes they would say hi on the radio knowing I had my scanner![:)]

[Anonymous]

I always wave at the crew when a train passes by. I almost always get a wave back if they see me, but many times they don't.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh

some crews wave back some dont. but when you have 3 little train lovers on a front porch watching with you they tend to wave back.
stay safe
Joe

Kids always get a wave...

LC

[JoeKoh]

some crews wave back some dont. but when you have 3 little train lovers on a front porch watching with you they tend to wave back.
stay safe
Joe

[ValleyX]

I try to wave back but I think that sometimes we're not seen because of the tinted windows and sometimes, we're focused on the job and really don't see folks waving at us.

As for opening the window, probably they had the windows latched and so by the time you fumble with the latch to open it or forget you have it latched and try to open it, you're already by the person. Oh sure, they could just be enjoying their air conditioning.[2c]

[CSXrules4eva]

Ya know what since I'm shy, some of the time. I don't wave unless someone waves at me. I guess it's moslty because, I'm a little self consciense. Yes I've gotten crews that didn't wave, I've gotten some crews that have blew the horn and waved at me. Thats interesting in itself.