So today as i was setting up my tripod next to some sweet MOW vehicles (They were resurfacing track two for better traffic going onto the J) A foreman came up and said to put it away. He did allow me to take video of a passing manifest (led by a CN SD70M-2) saying that the tripod meant it looked “profesional”. it was company policy. But, isn’t it better to see a tripod than seeing someone with a camera in hand?
Video of the train will be up on youtube soon @ www.youtube.com/skinnyshit8888
My reply is only two words, and I somehow doubt the forum censor would allow the second to pass: Here’s a hint, it starts with ‘bull’.
Were you on public right of way (i.e. street, sidewalk, etc.) or on CN property. If on CN property, he had a case to make. If on public ROW, I’d have told him where I was going to shove the tripod.
The Missabe used to be railfan friendly. Now the terrorist obsessed witch hunters at CN have taken over. They have a big problem with rouge signal maintainers. Just the other day one told me he was instructed to take my camera and license plate. Then they called in a guy and his 4 year old son on a public overpass, and hassle everyone they can. I had one repeatedly call me “boy” and then say he was going to tell the private investigator I was taking pictures of trains.
So the presumption is CN’s company policy is no photographing their trains? BS!
Why would it be “better” to a CN track guy?
This mystifies me. Why would the CN foreman object to your setting up a tripod, and not object to recording the passing freight train? Were you on CN’s property? Unless I am missing something you can use a tripod on public property as long as it does not block access to the property.
What is CN’s policy, anyway? Where is it promulgated for either its own employees or for public use?
I’m inclined to believe buddy was trying to pull a fast one, unless you were on private property. Even then, his first objective would have been to have you leave, not just stop being a pro with a tripod.
Something’s fishy here…
Consider this context/ relativity question: “Whose ox is being gored ?”
It’s one thing if that MOW guy thought that he and / or his crew and trucks were going to be photographed - God only knows who or what might be found objectionable by some CN official about that. But if you want to photograph someone else and their train etc. instead - why, go right ahead, no problem to me from that.
Plus, photographing trains is more the ‘norm’; MOW equipment, not so much. I too was asked about that by a NS tie gang foreman a couple weeks ago, but when I told him what my interest was, he was OK with it. I think his real concern was that I wasn’t a reporter or a NIMBY neighbor or environmentalist that was going to complain or was looking or safety violations, etc.
He still allowed me to take video. I didn’t take pictures of the special vehicles though. Definately might get back there sometime this evening. It might just be the foreman. he actually used to be like me. I’ve taken out my tripod before in front of MOW.
here’s video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8fJByQi9ac
If you were on CN property then your only choice would be to comply and to remove yourself immediately from their property. If you were on public property then you have every right to take pictures…tripod or not. In the latter case I would stand my ground (a personal decsion and not recommended for everyone if you’re not comfortable with confrontation)…
This is also Amtrak policy (including ticketed passengers).
Hand held cameras only, the use of a tripod or other setups becomes “Commercial Photography” requiring prior arrangments.
Amtrak-Plan-Policies- Photography & Video Recording
www.Amtrak.com click on Plan drop down menu click on Policies click on Photography & Video
While there, you may want to read “Regulations Governing Exercise Of First Amendment Activities On Amtrak Property”
Stay up on the bike path there . BTW the general Manager lives out in that area maybe he was worried about seeing him ride by on his bike ( which he is known to do) IDK>
The subject of this thread, which comes up often, is quite similar to the thread about the contrast between airline security and rail security. Yesterday, after seven pages of passionate discussion, one moderator locked that thread apparently because one person suggested that another was “bullheaded.” I say apparently because no clear reason was given.
By the implication of Selector’s comment upon locking the thread, apparently there is a forum rule that calls for threads to be locked after they are deemed to be “going nowhere” or after the subject has been thoroughly discussed, and nothing more can possibly be added.
A lot of posters had no problem with intrusive security searches, while others stand on principle.
Interesting. I also wondered what was so terrible about that discussion. On another thread, some personal insults were made, but another moderator chose to simply remove the offending language, warn the culprit and let the thread continue (at least through Monday a.m.). On the whole, I believe the latter policy is superior. It seems to me that fewer and fewer folks post anymore because anything controversial or political (i.e., interesting) gets the thread locked.
Paul addressed a pretty good point.
I mean are the MOW crews really concerned about possible “threats” or really getting caught doing something they are not supposed to be doing. I mean I do understand people are camera shy and I tend not to focus on the individuals. However, I do wonder how many supervisors and upper management individuals have said "do not mess up or do anything your not suppose to because I will be watching youtube and railpictures.net. "[(-D]
I know of a local trainmaster that wrote up a crew because he saw them breaking a rule on a youtube video.
So, yeah, it happens.
That’s the world we live now…no matter what what you do…on the job or personal…keep in mind someone might be recording with a camera… It’s interesting really…:the state is watching" has been a theme for a long time…but we’re slowing learning that the state is us…
Another view of the foreman’s/ any railroad employee’s dilemma when seeing a camera pointed their way:
Do nothing - and if management sees the resulting photo/ video: “Why didn’t you do something about the person who took that ?”, even - or especially - if nothing else ‘wrong’ was shown to get worked up about.
Do something - and if management sees or hears about it or any resulting photo/ video: “Why were you wasting your time talking with the person who took that ?”, again even - or especially - if nothing else ‘wrong’ was shown to get worked up about.
Most of start out taking pictures of the big machines. Later on, as we mature and become more sophisticated, we learn that the people who work on them and make them go can be just as interesting, and maybe more so as subjects of our photos.
But a definite downside of this paranoia is that it tends to severely curtail any attempt to create a ‘candid’ photographic record of the people who work on or around the railroads, to inform and show our posterity how it was now, such as the magnificent photos by Lewis Hines (if I remember correctly) during the Depression and World War II.
“Camera? What camera? Must have been too focused on the safety protocals of my work to notice any camera. Oh well!”