Western Railroad Discussion > Are we now needed?

Seems there are tens of thousands of dedicated railfans around the country. 

Folks that generally understand railroad operations and are almost always watching trains when able. 

Was thinking it may be time to give some type of "Railfan Certification" a shot?

Just did a roll-by of a well-powered EB 4x2x1 UPRR PSR Monster doing 50 mph out here on the 300-mile stretch of the high-desert Great Basin part of the Overland between Sparks (Reno), Nevada and Elko, Nevada.  

That is a lot of machinery moving really quick! What if a reward in line with the level of warning given to a RR Hotline were implemented? You see a hot axle you call it in they know you're certified and watching. 

Rewards would only go to "Certified Railfans". Maybe keep out the cranks?

Perhaps we'd all keep an extra-special eye out for problems if there were good $$$ for the effort?  Many parties would benefit including the small towns. 

Even if caught on a live rail cam a certified observer could collect a reasonable reward.  

Not going to elaborate just wanted to toss that out there. You all are great with this stuff it's always a learning experience.  

Chuck
 

why not - I work cheaper than a high/wide detector and the only cost would be the doritos and Dr. Pepper dropped off by passing trains

This outta be a good show......

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I vote No. Ive had people call in when were going down hill and said alot of our brakes were sparking . It was a good thing because Dynamic brake was bad had to stop and inspect the whole train. Another time someone called in from the highway and said our train was on fire. We knew about some flame coming out of the stack had to stop and inspect entire train. And another time they called in a said our train was on fire when it was just white dirt blowing off the top of the car that we also knew about. Stop and inspect the entire train again so thats why the no vote.. The list goes on and on . 

RailDawg Wrote:
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> Rewards would only go to "Certified Railfans".
> Maybe keep out the cranks?


According to them we're all cranks.

pennsy3750 Wrote:
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> RailDawg Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Rewards would only go to "Certified Railfans".
> > Maybe keep out the cranks?
>
>
> According to them we're all cranks.

This is unfortunately, probably most accurate. Sorry to burst the bubble, but the RR big wigs / bosses for the nations Big 6 really don't give a ---- about railfans/foamers... They may humble a random opinion or two every once in a while, but you/we honestly have a net zero effect on the corporate bottom line. Unless a single interested (non employed) railfan/RRer with a substantial financial interest in a specific company presented a logical and legitimate concern towards a significant safety concern, the major US RRs wouldn't give 2 seconds of interest in listening or responding to the issue. This is simply the reality of contemporary Class 1 railroading in the USA as of 2023.

Ask me how I know....

~ Mr. MRL

If you want a certification, go work for a shortline and become a certified conductor. That will give you the education you will need to know when something is right or wrong. It will take about 5 years to be substantially experianced in railroading. Railfans and the general public precieve some things to be wrong when they are not, stuff like high spikes or quarter broke bars in the track. I've heard of someone calling in a train because it was making terrible noises (brakes set on a downhill grade). While railfans have caught some serious issues from time to time, like broken rails and wheels, class 1 railroad management seriously does not care by and large. For them derailments and wrecks are just part of the business. It's seemingly more of an issue to fix the problem than it is to clean up the aftermath. The employees get this kind of treatment first hand, railfans should not expect any better.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Oh my god, I can't wait for all the false alarms to come out of this lol. Truthfully you just need to read this site daily to know that most foamers or "Certified Railfans"  know squat about how the RR works or even the equipment. I know you mean well but this would be a absolute disaster.

Also this has already made its way to some FB sites that laugh at foamers. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 04:59 by Pacific5th.

I remember a few years back some guy watching The Masters on TV called in a potential rules violation on Tiger Woods.

Not saying some railfan would call in a rules violation (bet one might though) but calling every little thing they think is a potential issue.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 05:15 by Spoony81.

What I don't get is why railfans who are that dedicated that they want to do something for us won't get one of the jobs we have going begging...I mean really....we need people! You can be one of us! But then the reality sets in....

upengr21 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I vote No. Ive had people call in when were going
> down hill and said alot of our brakes were
> sparking . It was a good thing because Dynamic
> brake was bad had to stop and inspect the whole
> train. Another time someone called in from the
> highway and said our train was on fire. We knew
> about some flame coming out of the stack had to
> stop and inspect entire train. And another time
> they called in a said our train was on fire when
> it was just white dirt blowing off the top of the
> car that we also knew about. Stop and inspect the
> entire train again so thats why the no vote.. The
> list goes on and on . 


As somebody who spent a lot of years in the volunteer fire service, it’s refreshing to know that the stupidity of the infamous passerby with the phone in his hand isn’t reserved exclusively for the morons that call 911 centers.

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
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> What I don't get is why railfans who are that
> dedicated that they want to do something for us
> won't get one of the jobs we have going
> begging...I mean really....we need people! You can
> be one of us! But then the reality sets in....

Nothing kills a foamers spirt faster then a job on the RR. Trust me I know. I think I sold off 90% of my model trains within 2 years of starting cause the last thing I wanted to do was play trains at home. I also was smart enough not to mention my foam ability in training or correct somone when they said some bad history. I also realized a GP is a GP and a slug is B unit and knowone cares about the difference. That's hard for some of the super fans to accept. 

Pacific5th Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> engineerinvirginia Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What I don't get is why railfans who are that
> > dedicated that they want to do something for us
> > won't get one of the jobs we have going
> > begging...I mean really....we need people! You
> can
> > be one of us! But then the reality sets in....
>
> Nothing kills a foamers spirt faster then a job on
> the RR. Trust me I know. I think I sold off 90% of
> my model trains within 2 years of starting cause
> the last thing I wanted to do was play trains at
> home. I also was smart enough not to mention my
> foam ability in training or correct somone when
> they said some bad history. I also realized a GP
> is a GP and a slug is B unit and knowone cares
> about the difference. That's hard for some of the
> super fans to accept.

All we need to know is that it goes! 

Didn't BNSF start a program maybe 10 years ago to accept railfan input of things afoul along their rails? Whatever happened to that? I'm guessing the program died a quiet death.
Go

BMH Wrote:
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> This outta be a good show......


Saved for future use. Thank you sir, your valuable contribution is greatly appreciated.

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 06:22 by ALCO630.

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I don't get is why railfans who are that
> dedicated that they want to do something for us
> won't get one of the jobs we have going
> begging...I mean really....we need people! You can
> be one of us! But then the reality sets in....

This!! They can be one of us but not only when they feel like it. When you can't "railroad" on your terms and HAVE to come to work, it becomes a job and not a hobby.

Posted from Android

I say yes! RRs can lay off more support craft employees in favor of qualified/certified railfans who will do the same work for free! Just get a program going to get them up to speed on GCOR, MW operating rules, Mechanical rules, ALL FRA safety standards, etc.

I've been a railfan/Foamer for over 40 years. In that amount of time of seen it all. One time I spotted a tofc trailer come off its fifth wheel. The pin from the trailer was completely out. I called it in, the train was stopped by the dispatcher just south of Stockton, ca. inspected by the crew and the flat car with two trailers, was set out for repairs.

Lately it's been numerous tofc trailers and stack containers with doors open and stuff falling out. Most of what I hear on my scanner after the dispatcher notifies the crew, is there ticked off they have stop the train and inspect. Recently I spotted an open container on the northbound UP Z train passing through Stockton, ca. I called it in! The train was heading onto the Sacramento sub. Five miles ahead was a westbound UP grain train waiting on the meet with the Z. Both crews were advised to perform a good roll by, looking for the open container. Never heard anything between the two trains after the met on my scanner. I've included a picture of the container, that roll by failed to spot. 

Another example of something I encounter often, trains departing yards with hand brakes still applied. I'll usually call those in. However, lately the crews want to let the hot box detectors let them know. I called one recently on a 12,000' Stockton to Roseville, ca. turn. The train hadn't even cleared me when the dispatcher called the crew after my call. For some reason they chose not to stop and release the brakes. The train continued for 10 miles to the first detector. It nailed them with hot wheels, around the first 20 cars or so. Unfortunately, for them it was a Key train. So instead of walking back 20 cars they got to walk both sides of the whole train. Ha, Ha.

Most of the stupid calls, called in. Come from ordinary citizens with very little knowledge of day to day operations. It's only going to get worse since the Ohio, Norfolk Southern wrecks. I imagine a small UPS package falling through an open door won't cause a big issue to a moving train. However, the washing machines on pallets coming out of the back of the container I spotted last year east of Barstow, ca. might have been an issues. Even in that case, I drove to the headend as the conductor was walking back opposite side from me. I let the engineer know the open door was fouling the eastbound main. He never told the passing eastbound train. The impact broke the side mirror and window of the eastbound.

I could go on, Valleyman 

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funnelfan Wrote:
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> If you want a certification, go work for a
> shortline and become a certified conductor.

If you’re a railroader or a railfan, doesn’t that automatically make you certifiable?

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 08:27 by ALCO630.

ALCO630 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> funnelfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you want a certification, go work for a
> > shortline and become a certified conductor.
>
> If you’re a railroader or a railfan, doesn’t
> that automatically make you certifiable?
>
> Posted from iPhone

Droll, quite droll!