Why Don't railfans show some respect?

Question

I was just promoted to RFE. My first day on the job I had to go out and download a train that had run through a red signal. It broke my heart to have to take another engineers license from him.

All the while, two railfans were standing nearby snapping pictures like they had never seen a train before. They approached another RFE and asked how long the train would be there. He explained to them that the train had gotten through the signal and the crew was being relieved.

If it had been me seeing a man getting fired, I would have gotten in my truck and left so as not to be party to something so humiliating. But, these two jerks kept right on snapping pictures.

Are these pics of engines really so important to railfans that you'd want to further humiliate an engineer that just lost his job?

Why not be more respectful and go get some lunch while you wait for a relief crew to move the train?

The crew could see the railfans taking pics from the cab while we were downloading their engines. The engineer just hung his head and sat quietly.

cgriffin: Feel free to never answer any question I post ever again.

Lance: It means we downloaded information from the event recorder computers to show what was going on. It's like the "black box" on an airplane. And no, it can't be handled later back at the office. The Federal gov't mandates they be taken from service at that very moment. People die from crews doing what they did.

Robert S: It's one thing to be seen by the public. It's another for someone to constantly stare and take pictures of you for 12 hours. Did you ever get a lunch break during those air shows? Did the fans come and take pics of your sandwich? Follow you as you tried to go to the men's room? ask you to let them into safety sensitive areas that are off limits to the public, with full knowledge you'd get fired if you did? You don't know what you're talking about. But, I'll stick my head in the stock room door and yell hi to you next time I'm in Best Buy.

To all those that missed it: We told the railfans the crew was being relieved. They knew what they were witnessing at that point. Now, I'm starting to see what's wrong with you foamers, you can't even read.

Answer 1

Railfans will do anything for a pic, they might not have known what was coming down but chances are they had scanners and knew fully well.
And NO they are not respectful unless they are getting everythign they want, then it is ohh thank you thank you.
Imagine the ooohs and aaahs when they show their fellow railfans the pics of a train crew getting de-certified, that is a rare event in the life of a rail fan.
But to be fair there ARE a few respectful railfans but it seems the more avid they become the more obsessed they are with getting that special shot and less respectful.

Answer 2

I'm sort of a foamer, but really more of a photographer. I've been a regular writer/photographer for one railfan magazine and have sold shots to two others, including TRAINS Magazine.

First, the odds are they didn't know someone was in big trouble. Don't assume all railfans have a radio--I don't and I photo trains every day. If they did know, I agree they should have left everyone alone. I have on several occasions got photos when something embarassing was going on but didn't realize it when looking through the camera. I always got rid of the photos. You will never see the photo I took of Jim peeing off the rail of a BNSF GP38-2 I took while the train was coming around an S-curve. I am careful about what I put on internet websites, making sure there's nothing that would get someone in trouble or put a guy in a bad light. (I don't post many photos though--would rather sell the good ones!)

I live in a rural area and know most all the train crews. Some live down the street from me, have kids at my kids' schools, etc. It's not anonymous around here. I take care to not cause problems or bad feelings. I am rewarded with cab rides, tips, and so on. I think in the urban areas there is a much more hostile environment, one that I'm not a part of.

I am a pretty hard core photographer, and have even been out in 40 below weather taking photos. I have some compassion and use good sense though. I know not every one does. Maybe that's why after taking the photos out in the below zero weather the conductor of a stopped train motioned me over and they gave me a ride back to my car?


Kent in SD

Answer 3

Being "only" a model railroad researching rail-fan, I can't say whether or not those two KNEW that the crew was being relieved.

Just the same... if they were not TRESPASSING, they have EVERY RIGHT to look and take pictures. In fact I would think that watching a crew-swap would be pretty darned interesting.

As to the engineer being "humiliated", that is HIS problem, and the only people he is being humiliated before are his fellow rail-workers.

And I certainly don't understand the annoyance of the "public" watching... I was US Naval Aircrew for 15 years and did a half dozen airshows as well as giving tours when they would open the ship in ports around the world.

If you don't want to be subject to public view, go work in the stock-room of Best Buy.

Answer 4

Who cares what 1 person thinks -
Or even the entire crew as far as that is concerned.

I don't see what taking pictures of a train has to do with some engineer running a red light.

I work in a dirty body shop, and I see the way people look at me in the gas station - "what a bum" - dirty.

But thats the same people that want me to do a 2500.00 paint job on there truck .

He will get over it and I am sure you will 2 sooner or later.

Answer 5

@Penhead72: What exactly is this process of "downloading"? What does it mean? Also, why is it that the train crew must be immediately removed and a new one brought in? Couldn't this be dealt with back at the office later on?

Answer 6

I take care of everybody the way i could desire to be dealt with. in case you teach a loss of understand to me, i'm going to return the desire. by way of treating others devoid of understand you're telling everybody which you do no longer require understand.

Answer 7

I am an ex railworker and have no respect for this people they are losers and a danger to the safe operation of a railroad.
they should get a life and move on.
believe me.