i would like to post this. pepole do like take pictures of trains right? then why must we get yelled at by big shots and police of railroads its just a hobby right?
one must think that this country of ours must be falling into the hands of the bad guys where everyone is scared of simple people taking pictures of something we like to do. one railroad the eje is so scared that they are reporting anything and everything that seems to be near a train why dont railroads have ids like the fec does for railfans? life might be a little safer sure they can still report things if they want but it would be better if railfans could have a back up just in case
In theory that’s a great idea, but it would cost the RRs $$ to manage that type of program and most of them are too financially strapped already.
It’s too easy to forge any type of ID, so it wouldn’t be any time at all before they fell into the wrong hands.
I don’t do a whole lot of rail fanning, but I’ve never been bothered by any train cops.Engineers in a small switching yard by me are usually pretty good about letting me take pics.I do live in a pretty rural area though. Not a whole lot of terrorism concerns in Amish country.
Another “The sky is falling on railfans” topic.Stay off railroad property and the railroad police won’t bother you.Act responsible when railfaning from a public area and you should do just fine…
you can always ask permission when in yard areas, lots of time, once someone knows what you’re there for they may let you click away, if not,be polite and leave and shoot from public land.
How about a couple of real reasons:
- Some railfans are kooks and idiots and give everybody a bad name
2 Terrorist computers have had pictures of trains and facilities on them. What are you going to think if you are in charge of security? What excuse would you give if you were a terrorist? Maybe that you just like trains.
Not to mentioned the safety issues of people walking around on railroad property.
It’s the same reason your mom didn’t want you to play in the street.
Yet the same crowd that shout the sky is falling trip over each other to jockey for the best vantage position when a steam engine comes thru town. I wonder what a well placed RPG can do to one of these monsters.
I’ll be out there with my camera when I feel the desire to take some shots. No worries.
Respectfully, ndbprr, your first reason could also apply to drivers’ licences, couldn’t it? There are idiots on the roads, but…[:)]
That said, imagine the extra costs to policing imposed on the RRs these last four years, and then having to pay (how many?) people administer a railfan ID system. And exactly how would this contribute to revenue…the kind that keeps shareholders happy to leave their hard-earned dollars invested in the corporation?
Railfanning isn’t a right unless you’re on public property.
Thoughtful suggestion, but with computers and high quality printers it’s so easy to fake identification nowadays.
Best thing to do when challenged by security or police is to keep cool and positive.
Remember, many railroaders and police officers are much more cautious now thanks to Islamic extremist wack-job cowards willing to destroy trains and buses. This country’s rail lines are incredibly vulnerable.
I had the CSX police tail me while railfanning in Grafton a few months back. Since I wasn’t on their property (I was on the city side of the access road that runs along the yard) all they did was wave 
Some railroads will bug you even if you’re on public property. The Union RR in and around Pittsburgh here is notorious for this.