Railfans on the warpath

I was quoted in the latest edition of "Train's," the most well-known railroad fan magazine. I used to be a railfan once. Remember that? Well, not any more. Having worked for a major railroad that runs real trains, I have seen firsthand what a bunch of buffoons these railfans are.

"It is my understanding that the policy is not to obstruct anyone from photographing our trains from public areas," I was quoted in the article as saying. "It has been communicated to the Metra police that there is a working understanding that individuals taking photographs on the platform is acceptable, within reason. Safety [of customers and employees] is the No. 1 concern. Any individuals posing a safety threat to themsleves or others will be reprimanded."

Listen, we live in different times. If you wanna take pictures of trains, be prepared to have a chat or two with police who want to know what you're doing. It isn't normal for someone to stand at a roadside at all hours with a camera around his neck waiting for trains to come by so he can photograph them. There's nothing wrong with the fact that you do enjoy these types of activities, but please try to understand, most people don't share your enthusiasm for those noisy nuisances that tend to block streets for long periods of time.