A Railfan Code of Conduct

[Wanderer]

I left out one. If you are trespassing, an you shouldn't be, don't whine when you get busted. After all, you deserve what your getting.

[John_Perkowski]

Don't sacrifice your safety for the sake of a "good shot".

Do not sacrice your safety OR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS for the sake of a "good shot."

COMMENTARY: If you hazard an Employee who is concerned for your safety while you are railfanning, your action is unacceptably outrageous!

[Noel Weaver]

If you are railfanning out along the line somewhere, don't go mouthing off
on here or elsewhere about railroad employees not living up to the rules.
If you do not work for the railroad in operations, you do NOT know the
rules enough to be criticizing others especially on a forum like this one.
There are one or two on here who do it often and it literally turns my
stomach.
At least one of them is in New York State.
Noel Weaver

[Gadfly]

Good Stuff here! Very true about not knowing the rules. As a retired RR employee, I can tell you a lot of instances of "foamers" trying to tell me how to do my job, or even SCOLDING me for "doing it wrong". I had a discussion on another board where, tho friendly, the thread became..shall we say....on the verge of becoming heated as I was basically told I didn't know what I was talking about! Most fans are respectful, stay out of the way, and don't cause trouble. However, we are all aware of the few that are just..........well, er uh.......over the top! Just don't DO that!


Gadfly

[Hudson Terminus]

Don't sacrifice your safety for the sake of a "good shot".

Do not sacrice your safety OR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS for the sake of a "good shot."

COMMENTARY: If you hazard an Employee who is concerned for your safety while you are railfanning, your action is unacceptably outrageous!

Exactly!

Getting yourself into trouble for doing something stupid is bad enough. Putting a railroad employee in a position of danger or consequence because of your hobby is worse.

[GSC]

Some great ones!

I haven't seen this one:

As a licensed black seal steam loco "boiler operator" (as the license says), and so many of my cab hours at the throttle, something very important about the steamer you are looking over:

[b]"IT'S HOT!!! DON'T TOUCH IT!!! ANYWHERE!!!"[/b]

[Spokker]

As a retired RR employee, I can tell you a lot of instances of "foamers" trying to tell me how to do my job, or even SCOLDING me for "doing it wrong".

You know, you'd think a rail enthusiast would be asking questions, not trying to be a know-it-all. I've sometimes felt the urge to ask somebody, "Hey, how does this work?" or "What does that do?" blah blah blah but I never have out of respect and/or embarassment.

But I can't imagine anyone telling a guy on the railroad how it should be. Unfortunately you get these people in many hobbies be it rail, stamp collecting, or some other admittedly nerdy hobby.

It's fun to learn. It's nice to know something about your hobby. But it's also good to show a little bit of guilt in your eyes or have an inflection in your voice that isn't overbearing or snobbish.

You know, being a know-it-all online is one thing. But I can't believe people act that way towards the people actually doing the thing they're into in real life. Insane.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Lest we forget, "know it all" about anything is a sympton of Aspberger's Syndrome - a mild form of autism.

http://www.charityadvantage.com/compeer ... ndrome.asp

[WÖØD]

DON'T HIDE IN THE BUSHES....there are already way to many managers who are pro's at this, we don't need this from you. if you do see someone hiding in the bushes, call the police, as they are probably local managers testing the trains you love to watch =) take that management

[Chessie GM50]

If hanging out on a platform on a commuter line, do not use a tripod and leave if the platform if it becomes crowded.

I can see what is wrong with everything, but that. Whenever I film, I use a tripod, but I like to stay in my corner WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY down the New York, or the Trenton bound side. Although, once before I say one genius that stood about 2 feet in front of the steps on the platform.


Something else to add:
If someone tells you to move (standing on a platform) then you move. Chances are that if you are railfanning, you don't have a ticket, and the platform is for the most part for people with tickets.

[Otto Vondrak]

I can see what is wrong with everything, but that. Whenever I film, I use a tripod, but I like to stay in my corner WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY down the New York, or the Trenton bound side. Although, once before I say one genius that stood about 2 feet in front of the steps on the platform.

Doesn't matter. A tripod is still blocking traffic. On Metro-North, for instance, they are forbidden. Check with your local agency before you cause a problem over a misunderstanding.

[MEC407]

MBTA prohibits tripods as well as monopods. The monopod prohibition seems a little drastic to me, but I can understand the rule against tripods. Does Amtrak have any similar policies?

I think there are a lot of really great thoughts and suggestions in this thread. Since it's been about two years since the thread was started, now would probably be a good time to start condensing it down to 10 items that we think are the most important.

[Otto Vondrak]

Especially in electrified territory, you could potentially use a tripod or monopod to make contact with the third rail or the overhead wire. Or, your equipment could accidentally fall onto the tracks, also creating an electrical situation.

[pennsy]

Yo Otto,

Not if the monopod is that cord attached to the bottom of the camera that you step on to make it a taut monopod as described in other threads. It also rolls up and out of the way when not in use.

[Otto Vondrak]

Call it whatcha want, I'm not the one who has to explain it to the cops.

-otto-