New Copper In Town

[AARR]

It's not like the old days is it Dok? For you youngins when I was starting out in railfanning we could sign a release and wander around the yards as long as we stayed off the equipment and tracks. Now, you can't even be near railroad property unless you are on public or someone's private property. IMO what happened is judges started ruling against railroads in cases where clearly the railfans were at fault and with the cost of insurance skyrocketing they had to shutdown their property.

[SD80MAC]

Don, 9/11 happened.

[conrailmike]

Don, 9/11 happened.

9/11 and idiot railfans. The latter being the reason so many railroaders hate railfans even though a lot of us know how to behave.

[AARR]

Don, 9/11 happened.

9/11 and idiot railfans. The latter being the reason so many railroaders hate railfans even though a lot of us know how to behave.

The trend to limit access to railroad property began before 9/11. However, 9/11 was either a good reason or a good excuse to ramp up anti-railfan policies.

[J T]

9/11 and idiot railfans.

I think it has less to do with idiot railfans and much more to do with idiot non-railfans.

[AveryRdhouse]

Cool. I can't wait to get busted while running around the yard recrewing the nightly dead Z151. Does this mean I can go home now?

[CERY]

Cool. I can't wait to get busted while running around the yard recrewing the nightly dead Z151. Does this mean I can go home now?

Well yes and no, you can go home but only after Chris bails you out of jail.

[Raildudes dad]

It was a different era back then. There were long time yard-masters, train-masters, and road-masters that a guy like me got to know on a first name basis. Then when you went "railfanning" and they were on duty, you were welcomed to look and take photos etc. I was on an Operation Lifesaver special one time as the Road Commission rep. The train-master recognized me in the coach outbound to Elmdale and asked "want to ride up front on the way back"? It was the only time I've been in the cab at 50mph+. Quite a ride . Once I got to know the 2nd trick yardmaster in the late 80's early 90's, driving along the service roads etc after supper with the kids was a couple night a week adventure during the summer with an occasional visit to the tower up the 1 person elevator just to say hi .

[Mr. Tops]

Alright!!

In the video, we'll say the officer is a tresspasser, the fake people are TE&Y employees, and the building is the yard tower, while Mr. Lawrence is our new officer in training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS93xOziqv0

[willardgarrett]

IMO what happened is judges started ruling against railroads in cases where clearly the railfans were at fault and with the cost of insurance skyrocketing they had to shutdown their property.

EXACTLY
This isn't really a 9/11 thing at all. If someone wants to commit an act of terror, they will commit the act of terror. This is more of an issue of parents not instilling one drop of common sense into their children in this day and age. Every time an accident happens, these darn ambulance chasers win over juries by pitting "innocent people" against "big bad railroads."

[SD80MAC]

Fair enough, but you can't argue that 9/11 had nothing to do with the current levels of security everywhere, no just on the railroad.