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Re: Railfans versus Railroaders?
Author: BOB2
Date: 01-10-2018 - 10:00
Some of the worst railroaders I've ever known were rail fans, but very few of the best railroaders I've ever known didn't really love trains......
I've seen railfans who became railroaders seriously injured, I've seen them get so goosey and foamy over crappy engines that they weren't paying attention to the "reality" around them, I've seen some who were just lousy train handlers playing tains...... No names, but I'll bet that not just a few of the real rails on here, certainly know of those types....
And, by contrast, I've found few of the best railroaders that I've had the pleasure of working with and for, that didn't really care for and have a deep love of railroading and trains. The transition from railfan to railroader can be difficult for some. Not all can do it well. But, learning that it is not about your jollies, and it is about your responsibilities to others is the key test.... Which is why sometimes rails can be so dismissive of rail fans.
Railroading is serious business, you are handling big forces of physics, you are responsible for millions of dollars in equipment and good, you are responding to situations that can be a matter of life and death if you don't act properly, and if you don't cut in and figure that out fast, it makes you dangerous to work with, and it makes you dangerous to ride with, like we saw at Chatsworth.....
Those of us who have been trained properly, had that responsibility, and had successful and safe careers understood that we weren't there to play with the trains..... Failure to take your job seriously and do it with professionalism is, by following the rules, in my experience, is all to often responsible for some of these awful tragedies I've seen personally.
I appreciate that those who have never been trained in those responsibilities are looking for some "other" reason than human failure (poor signs, lack of signals, poor training....) to explain this accident. Unfortunately, this one, like so many others, is looking more and more like a failure to observe the rules and take appropriate action.
Safety is of the first importance, obedience to the rules is required.
I've seen railfans who became railroaders seriously injured, I've seen them get so goosey and foamy over crappy engines that they weren't paying attention to the "reality" around them, I've seen some who were just lousy train handlers playing tains...... No names, but I'll bet that not just a few of the real rails on here, certainly know of those types....
And, by contrast, I've found few of the best railroaders that I've had the pleasure of working with and for, that didn't really care for and have a deep love of railroading and trains. The transition from railfan to railroader can be difficult for some. Not all can do it well. But, learning that it is not about your jollies, and it is about your responsibilities to others is the key test.... Which is why sometimes rails can be so dismissive of rail fans.
Railroading is serious business, you are handling big forces of physics, you are responsible for millions of dollars in equipment and good, you are responding to situations that can be a matter of life and death if you don't act properly, and if you don't cut in and figure that out fast, it makes you dangerous to work with, and it makes you dangerous to ride with, like we saw at Chatsworth.....
Those of us who have been trained properly, had that responsibility, and had successful and safe careers understood that we weren't there to play with the trains..... Failure to take your job seriously and do it with professionalism is, by following the rules, in my experience, is all to often responsible for some of these awful tragedies I've seen personally.
I appreciate that those who have never been trained in those responsibilities are looking for some "other" reason than human failure (poor signs, lack of signals, poor training....) to explain this accident. Unfortunately, this one, like so many others, is looking more and more like a failure to observe the rules and take appropriate action.
Safety is of the first importance, obedience to the rules is required.
