Today I was asked rudely if I was stalking an employee in Hunter Texas, when in fact I was train watching.track Light was yellow I thought I would wait a minute to see what rolls. The guy in the cafe is thinking on the other side of the tracks that I am a who knows what.I Guess I am? I'm sad Stevo
It's just how things are right now with everyone looking over the shoulders thinking they are about to be victimized. Don't take it personal as that person might just be having a bad time right now and you were just there to take on some of their pain. Look forward to see any train photos you got...
It's a sad day, when such paranoia is all around us. That you can't simply relax, and enjoy a view, or be curious, without raising suspicions. Boxcab E50
Try to shrug it off. In a while it will have less of an effect. I had a Conrail cop go ballistic on me when I was 17. Swearing, yelling, threatening a bullet to my head, down right harassment. I was trespassing so I was polite in return. The event left a really bad taste in my mouth for Conrail. It took a long time to recoup. His harsh treatment was effective, because I wanted nothing to do with trespassing in that yard again.
Stevo... Rhymes with Devo... Tighten your collar on your trench-coat, adjust your hat and shadze and slink away to a safer spot, mate. Gotta wonder about them neurotic twits who spy on us train spotters
I rember railfaning on the east coast was a lot different than it is here. I never really had a problem with cops, but gangs, yeah.
Well I guess that I am recovered from being abused, if they want to live that way all I have to do is let them. The people of Hunter Tx. have spoken to me .
I had to correct my last post . there are only about 50 people that live in Hunter Texas. One cafe sort of place, and the oldest LEGAL bar in Texas. It is great train watching though. one set is 55 mph and the other is rock and concrete c 44, c60 sd70m and the always running sd40-2 both are barking
This is an old topic, but it aroused some bad memories for me. I had a bad run in with cops and the Long Island Railroad. I was train watching on the LIRR at a station called Babylon. It's amazing. Four tracks, and on friday night, it's a national hot spot. I was up there photographing for at least an hour, maybe two. My dad had enough and went down to the car while I finished up. As soon as I was about to leave, a cop gets off the train, and comes up to me and says, "What are you doing with that camera!" He didn't show himself as a cop, so I rudely said something like none of your business, but then he flashed his badge. He walked me down to my dad's car, I felt so low. He took the tape! All that work down the drain! Also on that tape was pictures of me walking around these hoppers in this small open yard, (about 3 tracks, on the side of the road) and I actually hopped on them and looked inside. I must of been like 10 years old. But after the cop took my tape, I noticed there had been a fence put up next to the same yard, a week later. That was also something very heart breaking for me. I used to get a lot of nice shots there. It's almost impossible to railfan on the LIRR. As I found out. This is when I began persuing my passion for trains by model railroading.
Stevo, you shoulda told him you were taking pics of trains, and if he didn't care for that, he should call the local yokels (CB slang for town cops). If you happened to have had a copy of Trains or R&R, you coulda shown that to him. Didn't know anybody in such a flyspeck town was being stalked, or had illusions of being stalked. Oh well, that's what happens sometimes when you're out railfanning. As for me, I carry copies of Trains and R&R plus a copy of the Photographer's Right, a sheet written by a lawyer. Last I checked, railfanning was not an illegal activity (unless you're trepassing on RR property, then all bets are off), regardless of the paranoia of some rent-a-cops, overzealous donut-deficient RR police or private individuals who are generally ignorant of our hobby. OK, off my soapbox.................as for Hunter, Texas, the devil take them
The officer had no right to confiscate your tape. As you may or may not know, there is no photo ban in effect in NYC as once proposed. Here is the MTA rule dictating photography: Of course, if you were tresspassing then that is a different manner. Being at the Babylon train station is not tresspassing. Russ
Since you're 16 years old, I would advise that you ask them to call your parents if there is a problem, who in turn might bring your attorney along to retrieve you if needed. Charlie
Last Saturday while my brother-in-law and I were railfaning outside the small town of Milledgville, a local officer stopped his car in front of my Jeep. I walked up to him asked him how he was doing, showed him my equipment, camera on board scanner with load speaker in Jeep, maps and told him we were enjoying an afternoon of train watching. He was more than kind and was just wondering what we were up to. Now this was a bit easier because I'm a typical mid-western 32 year old guy and so is my brother-in -law. It is different when you are younger as some people just associate teen with punk and crime. Best thing to do is act respectful and like Charlie said, have them call your parents to have them "clear it up." The east coast and cities are notoriously hard places to railfan. Keep photographing! I don't regret taking pictures at that age, who would have thought Conrail would have been a fallen flag!
All sound advice above. Having dealt with MTA police before, I will say to always be polite. They are just doing their job and are under immense pressure since 9-11. Many of them have no like of trains at all and can not understand what it is to be a railfan. Explain it to them. If you use a digital camera, you may wish to offer them to view what pics you have taken, though I would not unless they were sincerely interested. If you use a film camera and think that the only way to get out of a confrontation is to give up the film, give it up. Rewind it first though, as you will get it back when you contact a lawyer. I would also say to try and look like a railfan. The two times that I have been approached by MTA cops I had some sort of railfan paraphenalia on my persons. Usually they will see a railroad hat, shirt and/or pins and understand. Sometimes they may even be so kind to help you get a closeup shot if they turn out to be railfans themself. Always carry identification this way they can "clear up" any questions without having to haul you in. I will also offer that MTA cops HAVE to investigate any calls from citizens who think that you look suspicious. I was approached one day by an MTA cop that told me that someone on the passing train called up saying that there was a suspicious person taking pictures of trains. I told him that it was me and all I was doing was trying to catch a pic of LIRR's then new DE30m's. When he saw that I knew about trains, DE's in particular, he smiled and told me just not to tresspass onto the ROW. Russ
A few years back I was in Galesburg, IL taking pics and I happened to wind up standing on BNSF property that wasn't marked as such. A town cop pulled in and let me know what the story was. I asked him where I could go and he gave me a few pointers. It was a pleasant experience for me. I'll definitely be making my way back there eventually now that I have a digital camera.
Frisco, Heres the deal that won't seem to improve. On 6-7-06 the police were called to report a disturbance at my house by my neighbor across the street. The crime was mowing grass. Her hubby has a badge so she thinks she does too. The woman was having a screaming fit in the middle of the street, my response was to not say anything. Instead to put my index finger to my mouth (shh) 2 or three times. never said a word. What was she doing when I was mowing (MOWING!!!). Just a thought Stevo
7pm sunlight while she was having a fit, her kid was standing there looking like a cow staring at a passing train he was so use to it . stevo
