I get alot of waves. But mostly everyone in the yard knows who we are. But i can understand if they didn't wave cause im sure they are tired.
I would get them most every time an SP train pasted, along with a blow of the horn. Of course there were times when they wouldn't wave, but it was more times then not. Also sometimes would get flimsies tossed, and even got a timetable. Once got a cab tour of SP 9824! Thom Heres a pic of one of those times. Its kinda hard to see. but the hogger is waving.
I get waves from engineers up here in Maine. I think they want to show peope that they are not out to report us for standing a fair distance away and just watching. Unlike the FBI who think that railfans should be under watch when ever they go railfanning.
MOst of the time I've gotten waves, and/or they would give a blast of the whistle. I try every time to either wave or tip my hat to 'em as they roll by. Sometimes they don't respond, but most times they do. It's not a bad idea to wave at the crew as the train rolls by- I know small children waving at trains will tickle most railroaders, and they can't help but wave back. Of course, always remember to stay off railroad property, or the next RR employee you see may be a special agent.
I usually get a wave and sometimes a "bamp" on the horn, but then again most of them recognize me from having been "on the job". Some of the commuter engineers will signal me to come up to the control cab if they see that I am going to board the train. When I was working, I would wave to folks who waved to me. I would return "one finger waves" too! CT
I get the bamp often and love it, and a few waves here and there. Got the bell rung last time. When my wife is with me waving at them, we get a LOT of horns. I'm like Bob, I always wave or something.
Its about 70/30 around here. I don't take it personally though if they don't wave back. I figure its a tough job, they're tired, and perhaps they wonder what I do to be having the time to hang out trackside. One of my favorite waves came from a NS exCon Dash8. I was photographing from an overpass above the track and both the conductor and the engineer were hunched down waving through the windshield. Lotta fun. Very cool. Well worth the sunburn I got while waiting for the train.
I get a lot of toots on the horns when my son and I wave. I think we have been coming to the same spots locally for so long that a lot of the crews know us. Then there is the one CSX engineer that I know very well that lays on the horn when he sees us.
Reminds me of a story I heard from two crewmen on the Kiamichi RR- I had the opportunity to ride the Madill Turn from Hugo to Madill, OK (a daily job that had 45-80 cars daily). At Lakeside, OK, Kiamichi trains go on the BNSF (back then BN) Madill Sub that goes over Lake Texoma. I was told that in the summer, they'll see folks on boats sunning themselves, and on occasion, females on the boats doing so without parts of their bathing suit. One long whistle blast, or the equivalent of a wolf whistle, is usually given by the crews- not only of Kiamichi, but BN as well. Ufortunately, my ride was in December, and no boats out on the lake-drat! (wife isn't here to read this...... )
I have gotten waves and the horn toots. Also have gotten the horn toots as thier way of alerting me. Even though I knew they where there and coming towards me. But most of the time I have my eye in the camera and then by time I wave at them they are even with me. But I have gotten "the look" from them also.
DOES THE ONE FINGER SALUTE COUNT i usually get a horn blow from the engineer........but then a friendly wave
I get waves often on the Moffat, but that was when I was close enough to the track to be seen by the crews. On my usual perches high above the rails, most folks don't know we're there capturing their passage.... And that's the way I like it!
Most the time round here I get a wave and a toot. If one of the grandkids is with me, then we always get both, gives the kids a big thrill.
Not all the time, but then again some of these guys have been on duty for hours. Then there's this hogger........
