Back in the old days, the engineeer or conducter would happily wave at you, and if there were will cabooses, they would wave at you to.
But today, there seams to be less egineers and conducoters waving, even if you wave at them. I have waved my hand off before but they never look at me or wave back. I have even had some conducters on a few occasions look right at me, and not wave while I wave them.
Is it them just not paying attention, or is it they dont want to wave? I dont really mind them not waving if they dont see me, thats fine, but its when they look at you, or notice you, but dont wave, that makes me mad. What has happened?
After all the idiots that are out at the crossing and anywhere inbetween them, there are a lot of peopl that throw rocks, bricks and everything else at us train crews. I personally do not wave for that reason. If we are stopped, or something I might come down and talk with you until we are ready to go. Even the videos shown in class, say not to wave and keep your mind on your work.
Isn’t every wave considered a highball? I always thought it was a tradition, if not a rule, to wave back as an answer to a highball. I remember seeing older engineers wave back by holding up their hand, palm upward and outward, with their fingers spread and curled as though they were cradling a ball. And then they would quickly rotate the imaginary ball back and forth on its axis by rotating their hand at the wrist. I concluded that the imaginary ball was the highball.
As for me when I’m out and about watching trains, I don’t even think about waving or even looking at the cab for the engineer. I take a quick glimpse at the number and every once in awhile, I’ll see the engineer wave and that’s the only time i’ll give a wave. So basically, I have them wave first (that’s if I see 'em)
That seems a little harsh, if you ask me. There are just as many (if not more) good people trackside as there are bad people. Is there always work you’re doing that would make it unsafe to look up for three seconds and wave?
I always wave and I almost always get a wave back if the engineer or conductor is looking. I figure that seeing someone smiling and waving might brighten the crews’ day a bit.
I always wave even if the crew is hidden behind the tinted windows, it just seems to be the right thing to do. A few times I have had the engineer open his side window and wave, this always impresses me and I appreciate the gesture. Sometimes a small action such as a wave and smile can go a long way in affecting someone else. Even if you don’t see it, it may make the other person more likely to wave and be friendly to the next person they see trackside. I feel that as a railfan I should always appear friendly to the railroaders I meet.
Speaking of the tinted windows that you see on the locomotives now, they seem to be extremely dark. I would assume that they are clear enough to see through at night, but they sure do look like they have a heavy tint to them.
Depends on the crew and the mood they are in. I have encountered the type who (1) keep their eyes foward on the tracks ahead (2) just look at you like your crazy and keep on truckin’ (3) go out of their way (i.e. if the window is closed they will open it just to wave and give a big grin and then close it back). It just depends.
to get me to wave you haft to be another crew or railroad worker the only other time i might wave is when i have seen you several times and you are not 5 ft from my train and act like you have common sense. other wise be greatfull i am not calling in on you. i have hit and killed to many nice people.
Does 14 qualify? I doubt you would call the cops on a 13 or 14 year old.
It appeard our engineer friends here enjoy pressing them 3 digits… [;)] And for the one who said: “Be gratefull I dont call the cops on you” Would a 18 wheeler driver call the cops on me for watching that truck on the side of the road? Does watching a intermodel train carring around an extra 100 semi trailers make it so I cant watch a train without the engineer calling the cops? Sounds a bit ridiculous to me… What has happened since 9/11?
I pretty much agree with limitedclear I will always try to wave back if at all possible with the exception of the women who live by the tracks in Whiting we always wave at them and they always wave back. here’s my side of this I have waved at several people and all I get back is the finger so I am reluctant to initate waving as a result of that, that could be why some people don’t wave at all
I don’t know…it seems I can always get a wave from an engineer or conductor. But then, I’m always where I am supposed to be, when I wave. If I have our two younger boys with me, they can usually elicit a toot as well.
On a related note: We were driving along a highway that runs parallel to a BNSF line that carries some coal. My wife, was trying to get “the train people” to wave at her. This particular train had a DPU unit on the back. That, is what she was waving at. I explained about DPU’s…remote control…etc. She acted like she understood. Then, she rolled down the window, and began to wave vigorously. Darned “railroad people” still didn’t wave.[:-^]
It depends. See Rule 3. I never wave at groups of teens. I’m generally looking for rocks, bricks or paintball guns. I’ve had all three used on me and endured more than one broken cab window. Oh, and in my legal career I have prosecuted and defended 14 year olds for A-1 and A-2 Felonies (Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Drug possession and distribution, and even Manslaughter) so I have no problem with calling the cops if I feel threatened. In any event Company rules require it.
Heard once about a company official who observed a crewman waving at someone and received a ops failure for not being alert & attentive. Now thats nuts. If people are going to be hounded for something like waving, why bother then.
Does it really bother you when they don’t wave? When I’m out taking pics, I will usually wave at a locomotive as it passes even if I can’t see the engineer because it just seems like a common courtesy and 95% of the time if they can see me they will wave back. And please note, I’m not doing the hyperactive 5-year-old spastic wave, I do a simple cool hand gesture resembling a military salute…lol. If they don’t wave back, I could care less because I’m sure they are doing something more important like watching the rail in front of them or working the throttle.