Your post is not exactly a wise public relations move. Very ill advised. I neither chased nor took photos of the 4449 and I was unable to ride, but after reading this post, I’m even less inclined to do so in the future.

I think the city’s locomotives need new management and a new organization if things have devolved to the point that its leaders will come on to message boards and admonish innocent citizens who are driving on public roads, taking legal pictures of a publicly owned locomotive.

For every dollar you may gain from the post, how many supporters do you think you may have lost in your cause?

Very unwise. I think I will make a donation right now. But not to you. Instead, to any of the many friendly and well run preservation organizations in our area such as the ones in Garibaldi, or Sumpter or Elbe. I don’t ever recall any of those organizations getting bent out of shape, because someone stood on the side of the road and took a photograph of their trains or chased or watched them.

That’s probably because they are wise enough to know that railfan support does not just come in the form of dollars. In also comes from maintaining interest in the trains and locomotives and organization and that interest being promoting through photographs, message boards and word of mouth to others, where hopefully tickets will be later purchased or donations made through “friendly” solicitations. Note: This was NOT a friendly solicitation.

The fact is, you need our dollars if you want your private club to continue, but I have many choices of locomotives and organizations to support. And since you only come out once or twice a year if at all, it’s not like we’re gonna miss much if you fade away. And frankly you’re not endearing yourself to me one bit. And again, I don’t even take photos and was not chasing this last weekend.