A Railfan Code of Conduct

[Caseyjim]

I have these to add; SAFETY FIRST. IN CASE OF DOUBT OR UNCERTAINTY, FOLLOW THE SAFE COURSE.

[Otto Vondrak]

IN CASE OF DOUBT OR UNCERTAINTY, FOLLOW THE SAFE COURSE.

Rule 108!

[Jeff Smith]

<BUMP>

I think Greg is working on something like this.

[Metra210]

I have some things to add when it comes to filming:

Never place a camera onto the tracks just to film a train running over it, unless authorized to do so. This is trespassing.

If taking pictures, do not point the camera in the engineer's face and use the flash while he/she is operating a moving train.

Don't place a tripod on a crowded platform at a train station, especially during rush hour. This is an obstruction.

While standing on a station platform, filming trains, stand as far back as possible from the edge of the platform. An express train can come at any time. Its arrival doesn't always have to be announced over the station's intercom.

Never cross tracks to get to the other side. Once again, it is trespassing, and it is also very dangerous. Cross tracks at a pedestrian crossing instead.

Always stand at a distance when filming trains. Remember, an approaching train from a camera's point of view appears to be much further than it actually is.

These are just some things I wanted to add to a code of conduct for railfans.

[litz]

I'll add one ...

Please don't STAND IN THE TRACKS to take pictures of the oncoming train.

Yes you plan to step out of way. The crew in the locomotive, however, cannot read your mind.

If they flinch and dump the train before you step out, you're going to look and feel really stupid.

And they'll probably come after your hide for scaring the daylights out of them.

(and yes, I've personally seen people do this)

[toolmaker]

"If taking pictures, do not point the camera in the engineer's face and use the flash while he/she is operating a moving train."

Regarding shooting night shots of running trains. How do night photographers do this without scaring the heck out of the crew?

[Jeff Smith]

Very expensive cameras? In the old days you had F-stops and 1000 speed ASA.

[ACeInTheHole]

I'll add one ...

Please don't STAND IN THE TRACKS to take pictures of the oncoming train.

Yes you plan to step out of way. The crew in the locomotive, however, cannot read your mind.

If they flinch and dump the train before you step out, you're going to look and feel really stupid.

And they'll probably come after your hide for scaring the daylights out of them.

(and yes, I've personally seen people do this)

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha, this made me crack up.

I'll add one, if trying to get an acknowledgement from an engineer (aka horn show) for your video.. Or are merely trying to exchange a pleasantry, a simple wave (or hat tip) is sufficient, if the engineer doesn't respond, deal with it, don't start frantically waving your arms and hat madly, it not only massively decreases your chances of getting the acknowledgement you want by irritating the engineer, it is a distraction and may cause him or her to miss something important up ahead (perhaps blowing the horn to warn a distracted individual with their headphones in their ears that walking out onto the pedestrian crossing at that exact moment may not be a good idea, in Ho-Ho-Kus with the pedestrian crossing and Port Jervis expresses this can be a big one). I have personally seen foamers do this trying to get a horn for their video (from a PL42 on the RVL no less..) at Bound Brook and it quite frankly is not only distracting but annoying and immature, I ended up leaving after the second time they did that, despite the fact that I had stayed there for less time than it took to drive down there (I had been there 15 minutes and its about a 20-25 minute drive from me).

Also, Dont freaking set up camp on the platform with your coolers, bags, chairs and tripods and what have you, it is not necessary. If you are planning a stay for a couple hours and intend to take pictures, bring at most a backpack with your encased camera, some fresh water bottles, a few snacks, and maybe some literature to pass the time between trains. I at most bring a small backpack with some waters, crackers, a Car and Driver or two to pass the time, and that is it. I have seen foamers bring chairs, coolers, backpacks, camera bags, and god knows what else with them when they go railfanning, they literally looked like they were camping on the platform. It is not necessary, and if a person of authority asks you to leave, you will most definitely not be able to vacate the premises in a timely fashion. You are a massive obstruction to people who actually are using said platform for transportation purposes and not to mention you are a laughing stock to railfans around you who actually use common sense. Yes, these were the same idiots at Bound Brook I mentioned in the above paragraph.

[hazmatmess]

Control your kids. I have seen too many kids running around while dad is filming or shooting photographs. I was guilty of this too. Luckily my boy stayed next to me.

DO NOT yell at kids (unless their life is in danger) to be quiet because you don't want their voices in your video. Deal with it, young children get excited to see trains (especially my son). I try to keep him quiet when someone is filming but he's 3, he gets excited easily.

Say thank you if an employee gives you extra attention. A LOT of employees say hello to my son when we're at Metropark and wow does it make his day so I return it by always saying thanks and safe trip or something like that.

And if someone asks you not to film them or photograph them, respect their wishes.

[MEC407]

DO NOT yell at kids (unless their life is in danger) to be quiet because you don't want their voices in your video. Deal with it, young children get excited to see trains (especially my son). I try to keep him quiet when someone is filming but he's 3, he gets excited easily.

I'd much rather hear the happy sounds of kids excited to see the choo-choo than hear a bunch of adult railnerds yacking in the background, trying to out-do each other with how much rail knowledge they have.

[MEC407]

I'll add one, if trying to get an acknowledgement from an engineer (aka horn show) for your video.. Or are merely trying to exchange a pleasantry, a simple wave (or hat tip) is sufficient, if the engineer doesn't respond, deal with it, don't start frantically waving your arms and hat madly, it not only massively decreases your chances of getting the acknowledgement you want by irritating the engineer, it is a distraction and may cause him or her to miss something important up ahead (perhaps blowing the horn to warn a distracted individual with their headphones in their ears that walking out onto the pedestrian crossing at that exact moment may not be a good idea, in Ho-Ho-Kus with the pedestrian crossing and Port Jervis expresses this can be a big one). I have personally seen foamers do this trying to get a horn for their video (from a PL42 on the RVL no less..) at Bound Brook and it quite frankly is not only distracting but annoying and immature, I ended up leaving after the second time they did that, despite the fact that I had stayed there for less time than it took to drive down there (I had been there 15 minutes and its about a 20-25 minute drive from me).

It gets worse. I've seen railfans wearing reflective vests and hard hats, apparently in an attempt to appear as if they work for the railroad, in hopes that they'll get some "horn action" from passing trains. I've even seen railfans set up fake whistleposts along the tracks.

Un-friggin'-believable.

No one enjoys hearing locomotive horns more than me, but the above tactics are ridiculous and they're WAY over the line. If you want to hear horns, go to a grade crossing that isn't in a quiet zone and get your horn show the safe/legal/appropriate/non-stupid way.

[charlie6017]

In other words.........DON'T DO THIS!

**Warning**......this is over the edge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYXNwvcl6A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Charlie

[ACeInTheHole]

In other words.........DON'T DO THIS!

**Warning**......this is over the edge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYXNwvcl6A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Charlie

Holy... That's just dumb. I couldn't even watch past the 30 second mark it was that terrible.

MEC, I find if you are a respectful enough railfan, engineers may acknowledge you first. I remember last year I wasn't even railfanning, but I was at the station getting change from my car to pay for station parking. While I was doing that a train pulls in, it was a set of Arrows, this set I had already seen railfanning earlier that week, so I didn't bother to pay it much mind and went back to my business. I fish out the correct amount of quarters from the coin compartment and walk back to the machine, as I was about halfway there in the center of the lot, the train all of a sudden gives a toot toot of the horn, which made me jump. Startled by the unexpected horn toot and curious to see what was up, I look in the direction of the train to find the engineer standing and waving in my general direction. I look around quickly to see who he could be waving at because I figured there was no way his gesture could be directed at me, I was just a random kid. However there was no one around, so I waved back. He then smiles, acknowledges my wave with a hat tip, sat down and got the train on its way. Pretty darn cool engineer to railfan moment there if you ask me.

[Backshophoss]

We were all young and dumb at 1 time,BUT not this BADD! Charlie,had to kill the audio on that video
Following comments were not any better
Can't even shoot straight as well

[ACeInTheHole]

We were all young and dumb at 1 time,BUT not this BADD! Charlie,had to kill the audio on that video
Following comments were not any better
Can't even shoot straight as well

One of the comments "you were on Tosh.O. I hope you know." That's how you know he's a.. Well it would be violating rr.net policy to finish that sentence.