Ralph,
I strongly disagree. Railroad photography as a hobby is
no longer worth while pursuing. BNSF Management actively
and vocally encourages all Employees to report anyone
that does not appear to be an Employee and is near Railroad
property. This is a classic case where Management can not
control what they are being paid to control, (Operations),
so they divert their energies elsewhere. If a train that
is 185 hours late turns in a "Trespasser" that is something
great.
I've watched this grow for 39 years of my life. In three
years will be walking away and not taking any backwards
glances. There are many, many more that feel the same way.
Russ
----- Original Message -----
From: Ralph W. Brown, Jr.
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, 09 January, 2005 23:00
Subject: [CBQ] Detained and threatened by METRA police
Here in Galesburg during railroad days, many people from all over the U.S.
come to take photographs. I understand why. However, living here all of my
life, I hear the people I know talk about the railfans. They think
photographing trains is ridiculous. Of course 98% of Galesburg residents begin
to cuss and swear when they see the crossing gates go down. They see the
trains a big inconvenience. They think the railfan is odd. Most people do not
understand our hobby.
I noticed that the original post indicated that the police in question were
driving a Brookfield City Police car. I'm sure the METRA and other railroad
police are familiar with railfans. The city police probably don't understand
the hobby. You have to put yourself in the non-railfan's mind. I suppose a
couple of guys with cameras taking pictures, of all things, trains is odd. I'm
guessing the police thought so too and decided to check them out. What is not
to say a citizen seen the railfans and thought they were suspicious and called
the police. What were the police supposed to do, not check on them? I also
didn't read anything about intimidation or confiscation of film.
I wasn't there. I do believe that calling the police names under the cloak
of this list is out of line. I guess you should've said it to the police
officer's face. Again, I wasn't there so I don't know all of the facts. It is
human nature that, especially adults, do not like to be told what to do.
People also don't like to be corrected. I do know that trespassing on railroad
property is crime. I also know that the railroad has many signs posted
indicating no trespassing. So maybe an arrest was possible.
In this day and age, we as railfans are going to have to be conscious of our
activity. Enough of my thoughts. I hope that the railfans involved in this
incident were able to get some good photographs that day. Don't give up
railfanning. Its too good of a hobby to leave over something like that. Thank
you.
R.W. Brown, Jr.
Galesburg, IL
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