As I’m sure a lot of you are already aware, our promotional team sent out a Father’s Day e-mail advertisement earlier today for our magazines, depicting a father and child walking along active railroad tracks. The photo chosen was highly inappropriate, and we apologize for its use in our ad. The editorial staffs of Trains, Classic Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Toy Trains, and Garden Railways are dedicated to promoting railroad safety in all our efforts and we really regret the use of this photo. Thanks so much for your concern. Kathi Kube, managing editor, on behalf of the entire Trains magazine editorial staff.
Your handling of this goof up is very professional and refreshing. Don’t sweat this too much, we all make mistakes. Thanks
Well said, Jim. I agree completely. [tup]
Yes Ty, Also Jim I do agree with you two. I’m sure of all magazines that TRAINS would be the #1 promoter in rail safty. It’s ok Kathi. Like Jim said we all make mistakes.
Just got it in my inbox, I am sure nobody meant anything by it, but I think it is an appropriate response to change it since it was felt to be giving the wrong message. It was a nice photo and of course most of us here got the meaning of it, but there is always the possibility of someone taking the message wrong, no matter what it isn’t safe to walk on active tracks.
Ad agencies often make substantive and factual mistakes in the “copy” that make their clients’ operating and legal people cringe. (See Up the Organization: How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits, by the late Robert L. Townsend, Contributor - Warren G. Bennis, John Wiley and Sons, 2007, ISBN 0787987751, 9780787987756 174 pages, “ADVERTISING” at page 1). This seems to be of like kind.
- PDN.
// Never saw it, only the apology ----mothership’s spam protection and firewall got to it first, whew![B)]
It could have been worse. Picture of father and son between rails was not as bad as having them balancing on a rail. It was still highly dangerous, however, and was tresspassing.
Apology should be accepted by all. This is the only time I recall seeing such a thing in any Kalmbach publication.
It was a simple goof, and not borne by ill will. I am quite certain 99.99% of those receiving the expression of regret understand and will happily let it go.
It’s okay.
-Crandell
Okay. The offending ad is gone.
Now maybe the editors will take the “Trains” logo off of that fabulous photograph at the top of the page so we can see the photo as it was shot. The little lake is covered up and that is what helps make the photo magnificent.
TonyM.
I saw the ad long enough to snicker at the possibility of anyone buying me a subscription to Trains (totally unnecessary, and my family knows it), then deleted it. Never looked closely at the pictures. Just as well, from reading the locked thread, this thread, and the apologetic follow-up e-mail.
I thought the picture was cute and saw nothing wrong with it. The tracks didn’t look very active to me. The picture made its point quite well and in an indearing way. I would like the editors to know I see it as a none issue. Continue the good work.
I don’t know how many emails and phone calls you got, I know I was one of the emailers, but your response was perfect, correct, and quick. Thank you from all railfans.
I agree the ad depicting the father and son walking in the gage of the track was an honest mistake, and it was handled well. However, the concrete ties and the heavy ballast work by themselves makes it look like the track could be very heavily used
Good response taking it off, I know you had too. Its too bad that people couldn’t just leave it alone though. I have many great memories of many afternoons walking along the tracks with my dad. Its only dangerous it you dont move when you see or hear a train coming.
I’m in the small crowd that liked the photo. To me, it just seems very typical of what you would see in a Father’s Day ad. I thought it was almost cute. Plus, I imagine it brings back fond memories for more than a few people. I understand it’s not good for Trains Magazine to show a picture of two people trespassing on the railroad tracks, but still…
I found no offense to the photo of walking the tracks. Growing up I walked them when I went north of our small town to my aunts or south to my uncles. Balance the rail sometimes hoping not to fall off as I walked.
When the Mail Train came through I was there for the bag and dragged it down to the postmaster.
I would put my ear on the rail to listen for trains.
All this helped to secure my love for the giant beasts. Rode them to my mothers in Chicago and back to my grandparents in Pullman, Michigan. To see my father in Omaha.
To my in-laws in Christopher, Ill and home to Chicago.
A photo with a father holding his sons hand and guiding him to the adventure of Trains adds to a young life. I can hear the father talking about the greatness the has come and gone on the rails they walk between.
I take my Grandson now and we stand between those rails and look and talk about trains. Go to the museum and sit in all the engines. stand between the rails and look at the massive size of each. It is an addiction spiced with romance, called LOVE.
The photo was NOT in a metropolitan area.
When I go to my In-laws in Benton, Illinois I am between those rails walking, waiting and yearnig for that Coal Train to pass. Hate me but I love those rails.
Brad Busse
Got the first e-mail and didn’t have any problems with it. Actually, as I do with most high priced spam such as this, it got deleted pretty quick.
Second e-mail comes along and my first thought is, Oh no, the lemmings have hit the panic button again!
Then I go back through the trash can to see what all of the fuss is about.
Gee Whiz people, there are just too many fourth grade hall monitors in this world!
My own take on this was that it just showed a Father/Son walking along RR tracks. The problem shows up when everybody gets really nervous about what these two were doing—walking on what is technically --“Private Property”. I can see maybe a notice to this effect that while it was true that this was done—it was done by “Professional Actors” and that this should not be practiced where you are—or summat.
Besides. this came out only a week before Fathers Day. If they did this ad campaign maybe 6 weeks ahead there would have been a bit of time to think through the photos in the first place–
This seemed a case of PANIC advertising—as in throw the thing out–fix/repair later[:-^]
Just because we all may have walked tracks before does not make it correct, legal, or safe. And to use such a picture to boost any aspect of railfanning is impractacle at best hypocritical at worst. And those railroads and railroaders who we are trying to impress with our earnestness and seriousness, and intellegent sensibilities could quesiton all and be even more wary on our approaching thier property and domain. Look at the Amtrak Photography policy again. I am glad Kalmbach reacted the way they did. Several years ago Coca Cola had a TV commercial depciting kids walking the rails along a track as being an OK pursuit. I wrote them complaing about the ad, they indicated that they and their ad agency knew what they were doing and to butt out… However, I never saw the ad again. I also will buy Pepsi instead.