Ethanol Trains to Revere

Cadet57 wrote:

bmcdr wrote:If you read the caption and don't jump to conclusions, you'll see where its noted that the Waltham Police were already on the scene, and an ambulance was already on its way. For those that don't know, the building on the platform, formerly the Railway Express building, is now a precinct of the Waltham Police.

I did read the caption. But regardless if there was a police officer there or not, the right thing to do is check on the person and offer assistance, all the cop has to do is say no. Then again, maybe this is just the Eagle scout in me talking but I wouldn't care if there was a solid ABBA lashup of NH E units, id have gone over to help.

I doubt he knew the guy was having a heart attack until the emergency responders that the man called started to arrive on scene. He probably looked like he was just resting/leaning against a pole, which is what I thought before anyone even posted. Whatever is going on, I don't think we should just be calling out the photographer without knowing all the details.

So let's talk about trains, right? Cool. So, was there a test train today or not? I'm a bit confused, sounds like 2 or 3 things were going on today.

There was indeed a test train and the two pictures I made mention to, is the test train.

BostonUrbEx wrote:
I doubt he knew the guy was having a heart attack until the emergency responders that the man called started to arrive on scene. He probably looked like he was just resting/leaning against a pole, which is what I thought before anyone even posted. Whatever is going on, I don't think we should just be calling out the photographer without knowing all the details.

So let's talk about trains, right? Cool. So, was there a test train today or not? I'm a bit confused, sounds like 2 or 3 things were going on today.

Amen to that Brother.
Yes, the 2 Guilford engines were a test train for proposed ethanol service to Revere, they were seeing how much time and effort it would take to get over to Revere in and around sceduled trains and so forth.

Did the pair of light engines actually make it to Revere?

I am the person who took that photo.

Before you make assumptions. Let me explain what happened.

Before I took the photos, I did not notice anything wrong. Right before I took the shot, I saw a police officer running over. I still did not know what was going on. Right after I took the photo, I saw the ambulance pull up. I went over to see what was going on and was told that the man was having a heart attack.

If I had known beforehand, I would have ran over to help, but as you can see, the man was standing and not showing any signs of distress when I took the photo. As the paramedics had arrived, he was in good care.

They did not go to Revere. Turned back behind BET to Ayer...

D

b&m 1566 wrote:

Cadet57 wrote:

b&m 1566 wrote:Some photos of the test train have already been posted on NErail.
photo 1
photo 2

I find it disconcerting that the photographer of the second photo was more concerned with the train than helping the gentleman having a heart attack.

Not to mention there's no need to make note that the individual was reportedly having a Heart Attack. Before reading the caption, I just figured the guy was standing around talking to someone out of camera range or something.

I put interesting information in the photos especially if it is a description of the scene.

For example (this one hasn't been uploaded to NERail yet, just using it as an example) another photo that I took that day.



Would it be unfair to say that there is an idiot crossing the tracks/trespassing on railroad property when there is a grade crossing less than 100 feet away, so close to a moving train while talking on his cell phone?

The bottom line is, my caption was not intended to be offensive or to make fun of or to specifically focus on the man having a heart attack. I did not see it as offensive when I wrote it, and it was not intended to be. I see that one, maybe two people have found it to be digressing from the subject that I was trying to photograph (the test train). I understand and respect your opinion and if more people tell me that it is offensive, I will remove the caption. However, what is done is done. I can remove the caption from the photo, but not from the brains of all of the other people who have already read it.

I take photos as a hobby (as do most railfans) and I am not out to make enemies or to offend people. If removing the caption will please people, I won't have any problems doing so.

There is no need to either change your caption or defend your choices in the original post. Thank you for an interesting "slice of life" and taking the time to share it. My encouragement would be to simply continue.

Bob

Eric, you've stood by your point and made it clear how you feel, so let's move on!

Why did the test train terminate behind the BET? It was suppose to go to Revere correct?

Knowing Pan Am, mechanical failure is the likely answer. However, we can only speculate until someone like bmcdr tells us otherwise.

B&MBen wrote:I'm not sure how this could possibly be related, but I just happened to catch a glance of two G locos headed East on the Fitchburg at Park St in Somerville (1/2 mi East of Porter station) at 1347. They weren't light though, they were pulling something resembling a geometry car. I literally had a split second view, but it seemed like there might have been a flat car behind the locos and then a yellow(?) FRA or Loram grinder style car of some kind.

Probably totally unrelated but I thought I'd mention it.

EDIT: A friend just told me it was probably a Sperry car that tests the rails ultrasonically. Not sure why PanAm would be running it but that explains the yellow car...

Just to clear this up. The Sperry Car was on Track 2, and the Pan Am special was on Track 1. Both were travelling in the same direction. It was only serendipity.

DAW

Cadet57 wrote:I did read the caption. But regardless if there was a police officer there or not, the right thing to do is check on the person and offer assistance, all the cop has to do is say no. Then again, maybe this is just the Eagle scout in me talking but I wouldn't care if there was a solid ABBA lashup of NH E units, id have gone over to help.

The caption was clear and hardly improper, the utilization of the future tense "about to have" making it clear to anyone with a pulse that the photographer was as yet unaware of the circumstances. It is too bad that the overmoderators of this site did not focus on all idiocy and not just a select set. Why do so many people here feel the need to tell others what they should do and say? Is it the large number of bitter old men that frequent rr.net? A medical response is public record and the newspaper would have jumped at the chance to have a picture to go along with the article, but a railfan mentions it in passing on nerail and it becomes an impropriety? I am inexplicably drawn to trains, a type of magnetism from deep inside that I could never explain, but the railfan community is such an embarrassment as exemplified by this and a hundred other threads that is repels me with equal strength.

okay enough with the friggin heart attack, lets talk about trains!

tom18287 wrote:okay enough with the friggin heart attack, lets talk about trains!

I'll second that!!!