Western Railroad Discussion > Rusty is out tonight

Rusty is out between Walong and Marcel watching trains go over a broken rail.
Dennis

With respect why keep flogging a dead horse?
Andy

westernking Wrote:
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> With respect why keep flogging a dead horse?
> Andy


Because this "Dead Horse" has a tendency to ruin your day if he catches you even looking at "his" railroad.

westernking Wrote:
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> With respect why keep flogging a dead horse?
> Andy


I agree Andy. The man has a job to do, whether we like the way he goes about it or not. Believe me, I don't care for the man anymore than any of the rest of you. I've had run ins with him when he was a a foreman and I was on the Tehachapi work train years ago, but beating a dead horse isn't going to do any good.


V

SLOCONDR

If you know where he is,you know where he isn't.

Baltimore

A sign of where the hobby is going.

There was just a big discussion where folks were wondering if he was still around. Well, this is the answer.

I wouldn't say we're beating a dead horse. We're checking to see if the horse is still dead.

Posted from iPhone

How is this beating a dead horse? Knowing the man (yes, doing his job) causes grief to railfans, why not save a fellow railfan brother or sister some heartache. If someone knows he is out and about, pass it on, then when another railfan see's the heads up, and says, "hmm Rusty is out, I think I will railfan another day, where my day won't end up in the crapper." Seems logical to me.

stay off railroad property..........

66

westernking Wrote:
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> With respect why keep flogging a dead horse?
> Andy


because it's fun :-)


i bet he reads these posts and just laughs that he garners so much attention from people on here ... i know i would



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/12 10:21 by Out_Of_Service.

goneon66 Wrote:
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> stay off railroad property..........
>
> 66


Now's that's a flogging a dead horse.

Obviously this sophisticated safety program is not working too well:

"Woman photographing train hit by second train"
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2937674



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/12 10:46 by TCnR.

There has been some reports that Rusty has not been around for a while. I been hearing him on the radio a lot so I was only reporting that Old Rusty is still around day and at night on Tehachapi.
Dennis

goneon66 Wrote:
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> stay off railroad property..........
>
> 66

You can be on public property, i.e. a state highway, and he will still harass you about being on RR property.

> Because this "Dead Horse" has a tendency to ruin
> your day if he catches you even looking at "his"
> railroad.


Tis the season, send him a fruitcake

How do I avoid Rusty? Let me count the ways...

Been over there 4 times since July, and have only seen him once, in Tehachapi, driving the company truck.

I ALWAYS have my scanner on the UP road channel, even when I'm away from the tracks or the vehicle. I was over in Tehachapi last year and having the scanner on helped me avoid a possible confrontation; I was headed right for where he was (Bealville). A quick change in plans! I went somewhere else, knowing I probably wouldn't be seeing him that day. Limit your chances of a run in with him by being smart.

In general the days where you can just sit and watch trains right next to the tracks (within the RR property line), at popular places like the Loop, are over. That doesn't mean there aren't other places you can go. Of course I understand that for some people going to the Loop with the trailer, RV, ect. was a tradition and people like traditions. That's history now. You have to roll with the changes.

I make it a point to not sit in any one location for very long. The longer you sit the more vulnerable you are to be called in or getting a visit from the PO (or Rusty). Also, the RR "emergency responders" that work "the mountain" are cool guys, but you don't want to push your luck. They have a job to do and when they get called out they are required to respond quickly...DON'T get in their way!


Allen

Back when when I was still working one of my calendar photographers called me with his story of a Rusty encounter. I had been following the Rusty posts for some time and was well aware of his reputation. I felt that I had to do something. The problem was I was also very aware of a fairly steady flow of admonishments from the company to report trespassers and suspicious behavior. I also hated to go over an employees' head because I had it happen to me.

I sent an e-mail to Rusty's boss in Roseville who I knew to be a reasonable guy who wouldn't over react. In time I received a response from Rusty. He certainly remembered the encounter with my fan. Except for the time and place Rusty's version painted a completely different picture. It was the photographer who was arrogant and abusive, he said, giving me surprising detail. Obviously he was going to defend himself but he surely gave me pause. I was sorry I handled it the way I did.

John Bromley
UP Retired in Omaha

It's a no-win situation. The rule assumes the Employee is mindless and the person observing the train is mindless.

Maybe there are situations where a terrorist is working on a scheme, but so far it seems to do everything but inform the public of the dangers of being too close to the railroad. Seems to me we all have other things we should be doing besides having the local PD chase down a citizen. Most of them realize how effective the encounter is as well.

Copy19 Wrote:
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> Back when when I was still working one of my
> calendar photographers called me with his story of
> a Rusty encounter. I had been following the Rusty
> posts for some time and was well aware of his
> reputation. I felt that I had to do something.
> The problem was I was also very aware of a fairly
> steady flow of admonishments from the company to
> report trespassers and suspicious behavior. I
> also hated to go over an employees' head because I
> had it happen to me.
>
> I sent an e-mail to Rusty's boss in Roseville who
> I knew to be a reasonable guy who wouldn't over
> react. In time I received a response from Rusty.
> He certainly remembered the encounter with my fan.
> Except for the time and place Rusty's version
> painted a completely different picture. It was
> the photographer who was arrogant and abusive, he
> said, giving me surprising detail. Obviously he
> was going to defend himself but he surely gave me
> pause. I was sorry I handled it the way I did.
>
> John Bromley
> UP Retired in Omaha

The general concenses (even from other RR employees) is Rusty's a hothead. I've never heard anybody say he isn't a good employee, just a good employee with a temper, and somebody with a general lack of understanding as to why Tehachapi attracts railfans. Can he be trusted? Opinions vary, especially since he's apparently told railfans who weren't on RR property to get lost. Does he really think someone's not going to complain? Some fans will complain even if they are caught on RR property, especially if that person (ie. Rusty) has a temper tantrum about it and the other person has a giant ego. Not a good situation!

Don't feel bad about the way you handled it. As the old cliche goes "where there's smoke there's fire". And Rusty seems to create alot of smoke wherever he goes...

There is a story from the 1980's about a railfan and a particular SP engineer in Bakersfield that got into a confrontation at Cliff. The engineer (now retired) was a known "sourpuss"; many employees didn't even like working with him. As a railfan to get to Cliff you had to trespass, but back then it wasn't a big deal. Just keep the cattle and RR gates closed (they weren't chained like everything is now). Well something happened at Cliff...the engineer and railfan got into a big verbal altercation while the train was stopped for a meet. Next thing you know the railfan storms into the SP depot at Bakersfield demanding to speak to a RFE or a Trainmaster. Don't know what happened next but I was told many years later that the hogger was admonished for he's actions and if he had a problem to contact a PO and let them handle it next time.


Allen

One thing fans need to remember, is if your on public property; you don't have to leave. It doesn't matter if its Rusty or some other individual with a hard on for fans. I have run into this a number of times and usually showing my RR ID calms them down. However, I have a few who have threatened me with calling the police or special agent, and have told them to go ahead. Only once has a special agent shown up and after a short visit he left and I stayed. Bottom line, if your on public property; stand your ground.

Recently, a BNSF crew called in to their Train Dispatcher about someone taking photos from the public highway, Dispatcher made a note and routed it to the 'Desk for these things' to paraphrase, it then went straight to the local sheriff who sent a Deputy to check it out.

What a mindless waste of time, bureaucratically dumps the situation onto the locals who really have more important things to be doing. I would think it electronically routes this to folks who really should be doing something more work related.

From another perspective, it sets up a mindset that is really not focused on Business matters, or someone is obviously brown nosing the local RFE or ATM. I'm really surprised that any effective Management system would include a public interface like this. Not just to the private citizen but as shown to the local Law Enforcement Agency.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/12 15:29 by TCnR.