"Let justice be done though the heavens fall"

This just seems like a case where the blogger feels wronged, and perhaps rightly wronged, but has pursued the issue like a vendetta, in the course of which other railfans get screwed.

Also, there was a post on the trains board from someone who said he was the conductor in question and said that the photographer had given instructions to the van accompanying the train not to leave until he had gotten his shot in order to avoid dust.

Apparently, when the conductor heard about that he got po'd and decided to send a message.

In short, the photographer had a hand in provoking the whole thing. That's not to say the conductor was wise in his actions (or unwise) but just to say that it wasn't random messing with a photog.

HAving said that, even if it was random messing around, the photog should have just dealt with it and moved on without creating a huge fuss, throwing his weight around, getting vengeance.

Railroad crews aren't models; they aren't getting paid to pose for TRAINS photographers getting paid to take their photos and using these photos in books.