Teach Your Children Well

Freericks · 04-09-2008, 03:59 AM

I think I'm going to let this one go, but thought I'd ask for opinions first.

If my dad (a Pennsy man) ever saw me doing this he would have screamed at me loud enough to hear across the country.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...key=1210156524

JimThias · 04-09-2008, 04:02 AM

Somebody cue Whitney...

Quote:

I believe that children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way...

JRMDC · 04-09-2008, 04:05 AM

My opinions are a) cute! and b) the signs all look blown out a bit.

What is the story on this track, which in the foreground almost looks like panel track, laid down without ballast (there is a bit here and there)?

Kelly Lynch · 04-09-2008, 05:49 AM

That's the largest number of blind people I ever saw.

Freericks · 04-09-2008, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRMDC

My opinions are a) cute! and b) the signs all look blown out a bit.

What is the story on this track, which in the foreground almost looks like panel track, laid down without ballast (there is a bit here and there)?

It's just the perspective, and the fact that so many people walk on it, I think. it's regular road bed here.

JimThias · 04-09-2008, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly Lynch

That's the largest number of blind people I ever saw.

Teens will be teens.

Charles, is this a busy line or one of those lines that sees only a train or two a day?

Freericks · 04-09-2008, 03:14 PM

I think it's two trains a week.

Andrew Blaszczyk (2) · 04-09-2008, 03:18 PM

I'm not sure if I've shared this one before. Can anyone find whats wrong with this photo besides the obvious? This line is only used once or twice a week, but I still had a MAJOR problem with this because if one of those kids should go down, its Conrail thats paying for it.

Freericks · 04-09-2008, 03:24 PM

There's a cop there who doesn't seem to care?

Andrew Blaszczyk (2) · 04-09-2008, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freericks

There's a cop there who doesn't seem to care?

Bingo! I was beyond speechless to see the cop sitting there not doing anything. The only reason I could see is if the township owns the line since it runs right through the middle of town (Jamesburg, NJ).

MichaelJ · 04-09-2008, 03:28 PM

Surely everyone realises that it is dangerous to play on the railway tracks!?

RicHamilton · 04-09-2008, 05:47 PM

Well, It happens all the time unfortunately. This was just lately and the bridge is only a bit bigger than what you see in the picture.
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.co...article/259833

John Ryan · 04-09-2008, 08:15 PM

Stupid is as stupid does.

PhotoID: 217644
Photograph © John Ryan

KevinM · 04-09-2008, 09:28 PM

Hey, I've seen young people walking on tracks wearing some sort of headset and obviously listening to loud music. It leaves me shaking my head. Natural selection, I guess.

NSFan14 · 04-09-2008, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinM

Hey, I've seen young people walking on tracks wearing some sort of headset and obviously listening to loud music. It leaves me shaking my head. Natural selection, I guess.

Now thats just retarded right there. Not being able to hear a train coming. I havent ever walked in the middle of the tracks but I will admit I have walked on the ballast but paying attention.

Freericks · 04-09-2008, 09:47 PM

I'm not a big believer in parenting by scaring the crap out of your kids, but I will say my dad did it to me every once in awhile and it did stick.

I was a teenager walking on an industrial spur, along side a main line, setting up for a shot and not paying the least bit of attention to where I was when my dad screamed at me, "Train!!!"

Nothing was coming, and even if it was, on the spur I was on, it would have been moving 5 mph - but he got his point across and in the some 30 years since, I've always stayed off the tracks, unless crossing them, at which time I always expect a train, anytime, anywhere!

Joe the Photog · 04-09-2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freericks

I was a teenager walking on an industrial spur, along side a main line, setting up for a shot and not paying the least bit of attention to where I was when my dad screamed at me, "Train!!!"

That's awesome. I'm going to have to remember that!

About the shot, I can't believe with all of those "Danger!' "No trespassing" and "Live Tracks" signs, people are still doing it!

If nothing else, you should save it and when someone gets killed on this bridge, sell it to the local paper!

Joe

RicHamilton · 04-09-2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freericks

I was a teenager walking on an industrial spur, along side a main line, setting up for a shot and not paying the least bit of attention to where I was when my dad screamed at me, "Train!!!"

Three of us were in upper NY state near the B&P on our way to Ohio. We were taking the backroads to catch some trains and the two passengers were keeping an eye out for trains. As we approached a crossing both of the passengers yelled 'TRAIN' as we saw one switching some industrial tracks a few hundred feet from the crossing. Good thing for the dog barrier in that station wagon as we were able to stop about 10 feet short of the crossing amid all the tire smoke. Poor driver thought the GCP didn't activate and we were about to get creamed.

transit383 · 04-09-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

Bingo! I was beyond speechless to see the cop sitting there not doing anything. The only reason I could see is if the township owns the line since it runs right through the middle of town (Jamesburg, NJ).

The same Jamesburg that opposes NJ Transit running trains on the line because they will lower the quality of life and mow down innocent children. If the kids don't play on the tracks, they won't get mowed down....

JimThias · 04-09-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

I'm not sure if I've shared this one before. Can anyone find whats wrong with this photo besides the obvious? This line is only used once or twice a week, but I still had a MAJOR problem with this because if one of those kids should go down, its Conrail thats paying for it.

Looks like my friends and me when we were kids.

EMTRailfan · 04-10-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transit383

The same Jamesburg that opposes NJ Transit running trains on the line because they will lower the quality of life and mow down innocent children. If the kids don't play on the tracks, they won't get mowed down....

Yes they will. Haven't you seen some of the photos on here in the last year or so of cab shots of locos that now have steering wheels?

WKUrailfan · 04-10-2008, 05:46 PM

Tens of thousands of people walk on train tracks everyday. Its interesting to see people so outraged when someone posts a picture of it. Engineers see this stuff multiple times a day, and there is no way in the world you can keep people off the tracks.

Freericks · 04-10-2008, 06:08 PM

And the same amount commit other crimes every day too. And if we see a picture of it, we make comments.

Doesn't make it right that they do it. Doesn't make us wrong for saying, "Hey, they shouldn't have done that."

KevinM · 04-10-2008, 07:01 PM

The trouble is, it isn't just kids.

A few years back, I was taking pictures and chatting with steam locomotive crew at a tourist railroad. As they prepared to depart, they invited me to ride the first trip of the day in the cab with them.

What an eye-opening experience! Not so much seeing the operation of the engine up-close and personal.....but watching the behavior of drivers at grade crossings. Most of the grade crossings at this RR were unguarded (no gates). You wouldn't believe how many folks would see the flashing lights, stop, look, see the train coming....and then take off trying to beat it. The crew said it happened all the time. They said that at most of their crossings, by the time they had the vehicle fouling the crossing in sight, it would be impossible to stop. The locomotive by itself weighed 100 tons and it had a tender and 9 steel passenger coaches behind it. They were pretty resigned to the fact that it was just a matter of time.

A couple of years later, I heard on the news that this steamer hit a garbage truck, which ended up on its side in a ditch. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and the damage to the locomotive was minimal.

Joe the Photog · 04-10-2008, 08:26 PM

I've been itching to shoot a news story as a ride along with a crew. I think it would be eye opening to me AND the viewers to see what these folks see day in and day out. The trouble is that I've had trouble in the past getting a Class 1 to agree to this in my viewing area.

Joe