Re: (erielack) If you thought NJT restrictions on photography aretough, watc...

[Tony <pennsyk4_@_optonline.net>]

Bob, you are not old fashioned, you are RIGHT ON THE MONEY.  Common sense,  good judgement,
and respect for those protecting us from the terrorist situation the world is in right now
must take precedence over simple picture taking.  If there was no war going on, it would be
a different situation entirely.

The first thing a RR employee or trained security professional will look for is someone
acting nonchalant and trying to conceal a camera.  Very bad advice.

T
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Dlw1el2_@_aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 7/25/2005 8:12:03 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> TrainGG1_@_aol.com writes:
>
>
> Guys, I don't want to get into any kind of lengthy debates here, but I just
> might add that good judgement is always the best solution in this day and  age.
>
> Am I a terrorist?   NO,    Thus, I don't ever  worry about Police.  If they
> come around, I will explain myself and move  on.   That's my simple solution.
>
> You have RR employees that will immediately radio in anybody they see  taking
> photos, cause they have been told to do that!   Others, will just use good
> judgement, and assess the  individual, location, and situation.  Over a three
> day period last summer I  was blown in three times on Sherman Hill.   The middle
> of nowhere, could not  fit any better, but three dedicated employees, out of
> about 60 or 70  trains thought they were doing there job.  Did I wait for the
> UP police man  from Cheyenne, to make the hour drive out to me?   Nope,  just
> moved on to a different location, and thus no  explaining had to be done.   I
> guess, all I'm saying is there is  enough rural, not at the station platform,
> but  back from track side, locations in this country to still enjoy  the
> hobby incognito. Is that altering and changing ones normal  Railfaning habits?
> Probable Yes!  But its 2005 and  this is the world we live in.  Since 9/11, and
> after the bombings in Spain,  and England, and the ones that WILL happen next,
> cause that  WILL happen, I lean towards being understanding of are
> government and the situations these  _*&&^$@#)&*(^#^&%_ (mailto:*&&^$@#)&*(^#^&)   have
> put us all in. I guess that means I"m putting them ahead of my hobby, with
> the accent on HOBBY.
>
> NOW, to insert my own foot in my own mouth after just saying all that, I
> wanted to relate an incident from last week.  While trying to get a  photograph
> of an FL 9 on the Danbury Line, I couldn't find that rural, back form  the
> track, shot I just spoke of. It was train time and I  had to do the old  90 degree
> framed at the crossing shot, which happened to be at a  station.  YEP, TWO
> armed and in uniform,  National Guard guys   had just hopped out of a military
> Humm ve and were going to be there  for the entire evening rush.  One Guardsman
> did come over after the  train left and politely asked what I was taking
> photos for.  A polite, just  myself, seemed to be more than enough.  He said ok,
> NO  problem,   and we both went on about are business.   Good Judgement
> prevailed.  Did my age and looks have some effect on the situation?   Sure, but I
> would  hope that good judgement had a lot to  do with it also. Would I have
> ceased and desisted if he had asked me to.   Sure.  It wasn't a mater of life or
> death.  What they are trying to  protect could be, and I understand  that.
>
> Just my own ( old fashion ) thoughts.
>
> Bob Bahrs
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> One  response to my offerings on railfanning in today's paranoid world, this
>
> response came:
>
> Bill,
>
> Good advice that you have given  here.  Question:   have you encountered any
> situations where  you were harassed or had to duck  for  cover?
>
> Chuck
>
> Interesting you should ask that question. Within  the last year I have been
> twice asked about my picture taking --  both while photographing transit
> busses.  Once was in Kankakee,  IL while photographing River Valley Metro.
> In that
> instance, I was  with a friend of mine from Milwaukee. The drivers
> apparently
> got  shook up with these two fellas taking pics and called a  supervisor. The
>
> super showed up and asked what we were doing and why and upon   explanation
> that
> we were transit fans (and both worked in the transit  industry  -- Dave for
> Milwaukee County Transit and I for Metra) we  engaged in a most  friendly
> conversation about transit operations in  general and in River Valley  Metro
> in
> particular. End result was that  we ended up finding out more about  their
> operations
> that we already  knew.
>
> The other instance was in April. Three of us were in Beloit,  WI
> photographing Beloit Transit. Again the drivers were taken aback  that
> someone  would be
> photographing their busses. As it turned out  the Motor Bus Society,  which
> had
> recently had a convention in the  Chicago-Milwaukee area had visited  Beloit
> and
> the super was familiar  with bus fans as a result. Again, really nice  folks.
>
> On the rail  side, in May of 2004, a group of us were photographing at
> Joliet
> Union Station. There had been rumors of fans being hassled there,  but  over
> a
> dozen guys/gals were there on a lovely Saturday taking  pics (sound
> familiar,
> Bob Clegg?). The city of Joliet owns the  facility and even has a PD  office
> in the station. The ONLY time  anyone was bothered was when a fellow
> attempted
> to walk across the  tracks. The officer informed him that crossing the
> tracks
> is a  safety issue (no argument there) and that he must remain on the
> platform.
>
> Mr. Steinberg's comments about "Acting suspicious is not  the way to not
> look
> suspicious!" is not without merit. Of course, as  a train is approaching you
> would out of necessity have the camera  ready to shoot BEFORE the train
> approaches. It is rather obvious to  the observer that you are indeed taking
> a
> photo. As for the  "stealth" chasing of trains (change of clothes, parking
> the  car
> way  from the photo shoot, etc.) I "practice what I preach" and feel that
> this
> would minimize someone being able to "track you down" as a   photographer.
>
> As an aside, over half of my railfan activities are  conducted using public
> transportation. Of course, many times this is  not an option, but for someone
>
> living in a large urban area such as  Chicago, this allows me to take a
> bus/train  to a site, take my  pictures (nice thing about psgr trains is that
> there is
> a  schedule,  so you know when they are expected) and move on.
>
> Stay safe out  there...
>
> Bill Shapotkin
>
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