Nostalgia & History > Stacks at Aurant - May 2000

Got the dirtiest look I ever got from a rail by the hogger on this wb COFC crossing Valley Blvd. To this day, I have no idea what I did to offend him.

As an aside, any of you good note takers have a record of what train this was? It was May 16, 2008.

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Was that lead 40 the first version of mini wings?

some railroaders just dont like railfans, It could be like the CSX on the St. Louis line where the majority of the guys are just unhappy souls there are a few good ones but the majority scowl or stick their ass out the cab or shake thier heads like your stupid or something.Since they dont like train no one else should be wasting their time photographing the trains they run.Dont get me wrong I still wave at them all,even with all my fingers.
Randy Allard

Back on March 23rd my brother and I were photographing this local struggling upgrade at East Darling, AZ. One of the crew was heard over the scanner saying "what a complete waste of time" referring to us photographing his train. Needless to say when he passed I just shrugged my shoulders, put my hands up and gave him a goofy smile as to say "i don't think so"
Steve B.

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I was in the rr industry for 33 years. I believe that most crews have no problem with fans. They may not understand why we are fans, some are even amused by fans. But, I really believe most crews don't hate fans.

erielackawanna Wrote:
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> Got the dirtiest look I ever got from a rail by
> the hogger on this wb COFC crossing Valley Blvd.
> To this day, I have no idea what I did to offend
> him.
>
> As an aside, any of you good note takers have a
> record of what train this was? It was May 16,
> 2008.

Did you get a picture of the hogger? If you post it, I probably know who it is and can maybe give you and inside as to the dirty look.-BMT

No... I didn't get a picture of him... Back in the days of film, I took one or two pictures. He was a young guy, I recall... not that that helps in any way.

erielackawanna Wrote:
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> No... I didn't get a picture of him... Back in the
> days of film, I took one or two pictures. He was
> a young guy, I recall... not that that helps in
> any way.


He was probably working the L.A. Basin pool, which I worked for several years until last June. Some engineers (and conductors) just plain hate railfans, some don't mind them and others are indifferent. It seems to me, most of us old timers are used to railfans and don't mind, but it seems that a lot of the younger people don't like "foamers". Maybe they just don't understand why someone would take pictures of trains, to them it's just a job, where as the older guys have seen and dealt with railfans over the years and understand what it's all about.
One other thing is that crossing at Valley is one of the most dangerous on the Alhambra Sub. and he could have been concentrating on the crossing and traffic, and you were just one more thing to worry about. Traffic there is horrible and people run the gates constantly. -BMT

That last thought actually makes a lot of sense. I remember he seemed really tense and angry. I was probably just another distraction at that point.

And being in that area, I wasn't hanging out trackside. I was waiting in my car and jumped out when the train came. That could have spooked him too.