Re: PC: Fwd: [dandh] Fw: NS Is Stepping Up Tresspassing Prosecution!

["Bill K" <pontiac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I can tell you already that for some reason the last thing a railroad wants
is to hire railfans.  Why is that? I don't know, but I really had to strip
down the resume I sent to Conrail for possible NS employment.   I think
half the reason I want a railroad job is to get that ID card so that when I
am out taking pictures I don't get arrested for crossing some invisible
property line by 2 or 3 steps.   Makes no sense to me, I haven't heard of
any trains delayed by the crew taking pictures or getting killed/causing
wrecks in the process of doing so.  In fact quite often it's the opposite,
someone who has a clue what's going on is more likely to make the right
decision and find ways to speed things up and save the road money.

On the other hand it may just be scare talk.  Conrail in NY state has
police in Buffalo and Albany, and ONE in Syracuse who covers just about
anything in between - as long as you stay out of Dewitt yard you can do all
kinds of things.  I think the Tier may become like that, where now even
with the low traffic it's nice because it's extememly fan-friendly - the
railroad simply can't possibly afford enough RR cops to patrol everything,
they'll just go to the trouble spots and watch the vans and military moves.
 

Anyone in the NS zone may want to get out there and get your unique shots
while you can, though - I wouldn't be surprised if they did make some kind
of patrol when things start, to make their presence known.   

Bill's Syracuse rail page 
 
http://www.dreamscape.com/pontiac/rail.html

----------
: From: Gerhard A. Stuebben <stuebben -AT- flash.net>
: To: penn-central -AT- smellycat.com
: Subject: Re: PC: Fwd: [dandh] Fw: NS Is Stepping Up Tresspassing
Prosecution!
: Date: Monday, July 20, 1998 11:41 PM
: 
  
: 
: But I don't see how targeting railfans for prosecution contributes to
: the bottom line, or will positively affect the safety of CR operations. 
: I know individuals who have alerted railroad employees to defective cars
: in a consist -- perhaps saving the railroad the cost of cleaning up a
: derailment.  I personally returned a FRED to the UP that had fallen off
: a train. Other railfans are no doubt in corporate positions and have the
: capacity to determine how a company ships its goods.  
 
 : Scenario 6:  Railroad has a shortage of train crew members and will have
: to hire off the street. Prospective employees must be willing to work
: long, hard, irregular, and often boring shifts -- in the cold of winter
: and heat of summer.  How much will it have to pay to get people to work
: under these conditions? Might it depend on how much the person enjoys
: the job, vs. just doing it for the paycheck? Might the quality of work
: the employee does also depend on his motivation?

: Scenario 7:  Railroad wants to spin off an unprofitable branch to a
: short line, but requires regulatory approval.  What does the railfan
: write to his congressman?

In this last case i think the fan will support it because chances are the
shortline will be a lot less fussy with fans than the big raod was....