Henry, Your are correct. I am a flag waiver – and probably a lot closer to a “foamer” than I would care to admit. However, I did not want to suggest that every NS employee is a choirboy. Nor did I anticipate everyone, upon reading my email, would dunk their model trains in a bucket of black paint. My distaste is solely for the steady stream of undocumented remarks (i.e. rumors) and unending blizzard of insults hurled at NS. It's not enough to keep saying “NS stinks.” You told me why you think NS stinks. That's fine. I'm sure the NS Public Relations folks are big boys and girls – they can take it. Railpace hasn't done this. You also said “[CSX’ problems have] been covered by several sources.” I spent sometime looking over the last 7 issues of Railpace before I wrote my email. The coverage was beyond disproportional. My rants were not an attempt to say NS is the greatest railroad to ever turn a wheel. Healthy criticism is good. Even harsh criticism can be good. I was only expressing my concerns about the hearsay finding it's way into the works of journalism like Railpace purports itself to be and in the pseudo-journalism that email approaches. The first person account of Enola is noteworthy because it comes from a real railroader. It's backed up by someone who was there and did the job. Any statements offered as “undeniable truths” need to be substantiated. In closing, I still stand by my previous email. Firsthand reports and honest criticism are meaningful. They're always fair game so fire away. The slurs and gossip circulated in print and email are equivalent to letters written in crayon. My message is intended for these Crayola-wielding crackpots only– KNOCK IT OFF! Sincerely, Charles Smith ------------------------------------------------------------ Visit the erielack photopage at http://el-list.railfan.net ------------------------------
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