Consider this to be the counterpoint for Gabes thread pretaining to Jim Wrinn’s article in the South Bend Tribune.
Personally, I don’t like being “observed”.
Not that I do anything wrong, for which I might get caught, but quite to the contrary, I don’t like being “observed” by busybodies who themselves may have distorted perception, as well as self serving motives.
Don’t forget that for every sane, rational railfan out there, you will also have nutjobs such as “kissmycaboose” etc etc ad nauseum, and the thought of putting an official seal of approval onto such sociopaths, making them believe they are somehow an officiating part of the system, bothers me just a little…
Afterall, a guy who would actually start a thread about boxcars with shackles, does NOT need to be making “neighbor against neighbor” snitches about anyone other than themselves. [:D]
Augh! I know exactly what you mean. I hate people watching me railfan, unless they are fellow railfans, of course. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sitting by a crossing on a quiet rural road and somebody will drive up and ask “What are you doing? Are you ok?” Just waiting for a train to come through, I reply. Then they give me a strange look and speed away. Oh well, as long as they leave me alone…
(1) I think there is a fundamental flaw in what you are saying. Our hobby involves observing people (i.e. engineers–someone of whom apparently mind, to my great surprise). So, I don’t think we have the right to complain about observing people, while we are observing people. That is a bit hypocritical.
(2) Like I said, I don’t think the process would be anything other than what we already do. It would just expedite the communication between us and law enforcement–as well as minimize our observance be the authorities as they would consider us as having a legitimate reason for being there.
I like to make myself as indescrete as possible if I just look like someone sitting in a parking lot listening to the radio I’m less likely to draw the attention of the RR police that if I was standing trackside, wearing overalls and an engineers cap with enought metal RR pins on it to send the wearer straight to the bottom of a lake.
I do most of my railfanning in places where I’m not too likly to be seen by anyone other than train crews. And often I have a couple guns along to do target shooting in between trains. This discourages busy bodies from approaching me and also makes it look like I’m doing a more normal activity. Science you can’t target shoot in the city it’s quite common for people to go out in the desert for this activity.
Hummm…
Kinda leaves some of us in an odd predicament…after all, we get to watch trains…for a living.
Do I like being watched while I fan?
Not a problem, but I am pretty good at ignoring the watchers…
Do I like being watched while I work?
As long as you stay out of the way, off property, and out of harms way, no…Doesn’t bother me in the least…in fact, I work right in front of our control tower and locker/lunch room, under the eyes of our trainmasters and yardmasters, and my fellow employees…
Do I watch the fans watching us…yes, its part of the job, and some of them do the most darned things…
I spent most of my life in the LA area and the majority of the time I had a little sometin’ somethin’ under the seat.[;)] But fortunatly I never had to reach.
you are certainly welcome to offer counterpoint, anytime you wish, debate would really SUCK without it. [:D]
And, I get your point about the hypocracy, but i think there are some degrees of difference involved.
When I go out “observing” I do so in expectation of fulfilling my desires as spectator. I don’t go out with the ambition of meddleing in the affairs of the engineer, conductor, railroad,…In other words I don’t go out looking for a crock of dung to stir.
I may see things that look odd, curious, or even “wrong” that I may come here andf ask about (to better understand) but I’m not calling the STB on the phone and playing whistleblower.
And, this ‘whistleblower’ or “sidewalk superintendant” mentality is the one that I find offensive.
Looking at it from another angle, what right have they to pass judgement on me?
As bigboy said, you have people coming up and asking these coy questions such as ‘are you ok?’ etc, when in fact they should be minding TOFB!
Putting an officiating card on their pocket looks a bit too similar to putting a bullet in Barney Fife’s gun (if you remember that old Andy Griffith show)
If folks would simply glance, and then move on, (as I do) i’d find greater comfort in agreeing with you, but my experiances are that many of the lonely types with too much time on their hands tend to be frustrated meddleing busybodies looking for a chance to blossom…
I’ve never really watch trains, but the few times I have, I was casually dressed. No RR hats , pins of RR logo’s , or anything like that. Not that there’s anything wrong with it[^]
nothing wrong with watching trains. and people when then come and ask why I can better inform them them how railways work.they also have questions if a crossing malfunctions so I give them the local rr # to call.
stay safe
joe
I don’t recall if I have been “observed” while railfanning other than by more railfanners. If I have gone to an obsecure road crossing and someone comes along and asks if I need help, I politely say no and they usually proceed on their way. If I tell them what I am doing, I usually explain my interest with trains and train movement. Generally they show interest. I don’t get rude and try to run THEM off.
Everyone has their own hobby or interest and since watching trains is mine, I am usually left alone. I always stay off of private property unless permission is asked for and granted. I also stand or park plenty far enough out of the way to not be a nuisance.
Also, believe it or not, I have never placed a penny on a railroad track!! Or anyother coin for that matter.
Youre not refferring to the produce market in south side are ya?
That is probably one of the most dangerous night time places I have been while trucking.
As for the gawkers, I simply stay in my vehicle and “Shoot” the train as it goes by.
I usually come out packing a camera, tapes tripod and everything when steam comes out. The recent Challenger Visits to Arkansas were among the best experiences.
I hate it! My friends all think I’m nuts because I like trains. I tell them I want to be a train engineer later in my life, and they just say, “Oh (The name might be Fred), I can just imagine you tooting the horn, choo-choo.” How lame is that huh? I HATE IT! ROAR!
Hate those people that come up and instantly start talking to you, even if you don’t even know them. You’re right about people watching you though. It’s a total pain!
I met enginners, car inspectors, railfans from the UK & a DRGW fan while I was railfanning in Idaho, Utah, Wyoming in May/June 05. (see my web site) [:o)][:o)][:p][:)]
I bring a large binder of papers and stuff as a guide so I can read, doodle and write music in between trains. If I’m at the station, I sit on the bench and look busy at work so nobody bothers me.