Attention Teenage Railfans

[pdlethbridge]

I'm glad GG posted this. What a lot might not realize is that GG IS a teenager. If more ( and I'm not just referring to teenagers ) were as responsible as he, a lot of things would be better.

[pdlethbridge]

and another tidbit to add to the discussion
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iIm-0BtPhayRGu3wWPLSdhZI5Z9wD9414VHO0

[Jhanecker2]

It is sad when accidents happen , but it is true that drivers are there to control their vehicles . That is their mandated primary function and that is all that they should be concentrating on.  They are not tour guides, entertainers or lecturers.  This applies to all forms of transportation all the time.    People who cannot do this should be passengers or pedestrians.

[Paul M.]

Okay, if we take GG's guesstimate that it would take 3 years for things to quiet down enough for us to possibly get a cab ride, that'd make me 16...

As for starting to run railroads like elevators, it's impossible with the current technology to run anything other than remote-controlled yard switchers or elevated commuter trains with no grade crossings on the line. A much more realistic possibility would be one-man crews, which were considered for testing on the UP, but good thing the union highly objected....

They haven't yet determined whether or not the signal was functioning, so it's still quite possible that the engineer was operating the train safely, although he sent a text close to the action.
In fact, several of my friends' phones are messed up and don't transmit some texts until hours after you send them. If this was the case with his phone, the engineer could be innocent and the phone records would be incorrect.

Maybe he's not as guilty as the major media has already decided he is.

-Paul

[glennk28]

Now from another angle--If you want to get into the cab legitimately, check into volunteering at a nearby tourist line or museum.  I'm finishing my third season as a fully qualified conductor.  This year we have three students working on board.  One is a junior in high school, serving as a trtainman, the other two are college students who are also getting cab time. 

Check into it.  gj

[pdlethbridge]

Has anyone ever asked a pilot to visit the cockpit while your in the air?

[RAM]

Railfanning was much different when I was a teen.  Steam was no longer king, but there was still alot around.  I would go to roundhouses and walk around and take pictures.  Not once was I told to leave.  For the most part I stayed out of the way.  I was in the cabs of live steam locomotives many times.  I always asked if it was ok.  The last live steam locomotive on the Santa Fe that I was in was an 1800 2-6-2.  I think the last live steam locomotive I was in (in the U.S.) was a Union Pacfic 2-8-2. Remember, that was back when Soo was a railroad.  Today it is sue the railroad. 

[Yampa Bob]

Georgetown Loop Railroad is repairing/rebuilding #12- 2-6-2 Prairie in their shop. The conductor of the line encouraged me to go in and take all the pictures I wanted. I even climbed onto the pilot and looked inside the boiler. Of course the only risk was to myself.

I think some excursions allow a railfan to ride in the cab for an extra fee.  Durango and Silverton offers a small group ride in the caboose for a somewhat healthier fee.

[Frisco]

Most of my local ones do. They do charge a fair amount but I feel it is worth it. At one of my local railroads if you get there about 2 hours early than they will let you set up in the cab and watch them get the locomotive fired up.

[armorsmith]

Railfans and Model Railroaders,

I have traveled all up and down the eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida and have seen ladies putting on makeup in the rear view mirror, to gents reading novels and the newspaper in the steering wheel, to people of all ages talking and texting while driving at 80 mile an hour.  I have seen parents turned around facing the back seat to discipline children.  I think we have all seen these and plenty I won't mention.

It is all to often that the real culprit of an accident never gets caught.  That being said, Florida has a 'Distracted Driver' law that has been used to reduce the cell phone abuse while driving. In New Jersey it is illegal and a primary offense to talk on the cell phone with the phone in your hand.  These are two states that seem to be taking proactive steps to reduce these events.

That being said, my dad taught me too many moons ago that there are two things you can not legislate....morality and common sense.

My tuppence worth.

Bob

[Yampa Bob]

When I'm driving, and my wife says "Oh look at that".  I always say "You look, I'm driving".  I'm looking down the road, getting the "big picture".  With every car I meet, I am calculating possible evasive action for "what ifs".  All it takes is a blink of the eyes, a minor distraction, and you can be dead. Sound paranoid?  You bet, I'm 70 and still alive.

By the way, have you noticed the road rage today? Some people are lunatics. I could not serve as a patrolman, I'd have a lot of people in jail. And anyone who drives drunk should lose their license for life. Zero tolerance on that, you booze you lose.

Consider...would a railroad engineer, airline pilot or bus driver ever be allowed to operate again if caught impaired? 

[pdlethbridge]

don't forget boat captains, Exxon Valdez!!!! Bob, if your driving, what is your wife doing? Her Nails??