I been watching, seeing what the initial response was to this topic.
First, I want to say to blame all this terrorism on the fact that the United States funds Israeli Defense is purely ignorant.
Terrorists hate us because we are a free and open society. We don't force religion of any kind on people, nor do we treat our women as second class citizens.
When you can accept the simple fact that they want me dead because I am a Roman Catholic, and not a Muslim, then you'll realize that everything else irrelevant.
It is a religious war.
Now, back on topic.
Second,
if there is any good time to make the bridge between railfans and railroads/police, now is the best time to do it. Lets face facts, there will never be enough police to patrol all of the nations railroad miles, period.
For years and years, both law enforcement and railroad management have this disdain for the average joe railfan. Admittedly, when the rare railfan with the black and red, horizontally striped shirt with the mustard stain encroaches on railroad property, moves equipment, climbs on parked railcars, etc. it pisses everyone off.
But, the overwhelming majority of railfans know better, and I must say, we police ourselves rather well.
The wedge in the relationship between the two needs to be eliminated. Exactly how, I am not sure, but the start would be to get the railroad to acknowledge the fact that several hundred pairs of eyes are better than the dozen or so on the payroll.
CN/IC has started embracing the "railfan help" on a limited basis as a test, and so far, it has been rather successful, not only removing suspicious persons from their property, but also reporting to railroad officals about unauthorized riders, shifted loads, malfunctioning gates, etc.
How exactly this is done, I am not sure, but more and more stories from T&E folks from that railroad often mention assistance from "railfans" who have keen eyes for things which are out of the ordinary or not safe. Surely, this is helping to protect the company from costly expenses incurred from thieves, trespassers, grade crossing accidents, and derailments.
Again, there needs to be discussion on this. If it requires an 800 number, and a person to answer that phone, so that railfans can report to the company potential hazards, then fine, but I'd think that the costs to set that system up would be alot cheaper than waiting for the next disaster, and then trying to follow through with the clean up.
Third,
finally, for those who think I am cracked in the head, keep in mind, the other alternative, which was enacted during World War 2, is a total ban on taking photos of anything industrial, including railroads.
Don't think the government won't do it? It wouldn't take much for the president, be it Bush, or possibly Kerry, to enact an executive order in the name of Homeland Security to ban the photograhpy of all transportation subjects, including infrastructure, equipment, employees, etc.
Granted, I am a rather crappy rail photographer, and enjoy just sitting, watching the trains roll by, but many railfans drag cameras with them nowadays, some the new digital types.
I personally would hate to see a ban on railroad photography, cause honestly, unlike World War 2, where there was an end in sight, I don't see an end anywhere in the next decade on this war on terrorism.
