Eastern Railroad Discussion > Railfanning With a Cop

Sone cities have programs called breakfast with a cop and even shopping with a cop. There may be others, all of which are designed to enable citizens to interact with police officers and to get to know them.  

And that brings me to last Saturday evening in Boston Mill, Ohio, on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad where I had spent the day chasing Nickel Plate Road No. 767 (actually NKP 765). The last trip of the day featured photo runbys at Boston Mill after 6 p.m. Security was pretty tight there with three officers from the nearby Peninsula police department and a National Park Service ranger on hand. One of their primary purposes was to keep people from crossing Riverview Road.

There is a ski resort across the road from the CVSR Boston Mill station and I parked in its lot. I walked up to the guard rail along and struck up a conversation with Peninsula officer Kyle Allen. Another railfan from Pennsylvania joined the conversation, which was quite pleasant. Officer Allen has been on the Peninsula force for three years, but had never pulled duty at the photo runby site until this day. We explained to him how it worked. He had an interest in steam locomotives even though he didn't seem to know much about them.

As the NKP 767 was about to execute its first runby, Officer Allen pulled out his smart phone to make photographs. But just as the train was coming, a motorcycle stopped along the guard rail on the side or Riverview Road closest to the tracks and the officer had to walk over there and tell him to either move on or park in the ski resort parking lot. Consequently, officer Allen missed getting any photos of that runby, which he said he wasn't happy about. But he was there to do a job so he knew that might happen. 

We assured him there would be another runby. This time the officer was able to get his photos. I made an image of Officer Allen capturing the train in front of his patrol vehicle that I sent to him via email. He appreciated it and the information that I and the railfan provided.

Photo 1: Officer Allen gets the NKP 767 during the second runby at Boston Mill.

Photo 2: The shot he didn't get because he had to advise a motorcyclist not to park along Riverview Road during the runby.

Photo 3: This is a selfie of sorts in that we got our shadows. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/16 03:07 by SDP40F600.

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Well done!

Now, this police officer will know that railroad enthusiasts can be decent folk.

A refreshing change from the fatigued and whining litany of complaints on these
pages from some members  of the  "entitlement generation"  whose interactions were not cordial.

Hint: Print up copies of the train image, and in particular the one of the cop taking a
photo.  The latter will be of value to the officer in the photo to show his child
what daddy does.  Other copies will find their way to the walls of the department
HQ.  Be sure the chief gets one.

Another hint:  Send a thank-you note to the chief of the Penninsula Dept. and to the
Ranger-in-Charge of the National Park for the assistance.  Comment on the officers'
professionalism and regard for the safety of those in the runby area.  A small act of recognition
will be a welcome change from the usual landslide of vapid complaints and petty gripes.


Be Well,

Tim Colbert  K3HX

P.S. Used to cut classes on Saturdays at CCC when the 4070 was running.
This was about 40+ years ago....smile! 



 

Definitely agree on the note, but I wouldn't mention the personal camera on duty. Some departments frown on it for legal reasons.

Sounds like a job well down by all.

Posted from Android

K3HX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well done!
>
> Now, this police officer will know that railroad
> enthusiasts can be decent folk.
>
> A refreshing change from the fatigued and whining
> litany of complaints on these
> pages from some members  of the  "entitlement
> generation"  whose interactions were not
> cordial.

Not all who have had trouble with hostile cops are "entitlement generation" members. Some police have decided for themselves that photography of trains, or oil refineries, or other "sensitive" subjects was made illegal after 9/11 for "homeland security" reasons.

I agree that some of the complainers probably could have handled their end of the deal better. But the BS from certain cops needs to stop, too. And I commend this particular example of positive outreach.

 

very nice.

That's a nice well written story, I'd rather hear stuff like this than hearing cops harassing railfans anyday of the week!