Thanks Roger.
Many people are used to chasing fan trips, where the paying customers are on the train, so everyone setting up along the line is on equal footing. The rule of "first one picks the spot" has always applied.
When it is a chasing charter, the people paying for it are also along the line, often mixed in with the non paying chasers. The non payers should understand that without the paying customers, there wouldn't be a train there for them to photograph in the first place. Letting the paying customers have priority is the courteous and fair thing to do.
Shots along route 17 are going to be a mix of charter participants and non participants, but for the most part the locations are wide and there is plenty of room for everyone.
Locations that are on railroad property, like Cresco tank, should be off limits to non participants. These are tight locations and even the participants have to pack in tight.
Drones raise some new problems. Flying in front of a photo line, even at a high altitude should be avoided, due to the sound issue and the possibility that you will accidentally be in someone's shot. Anyone operating a drone needs to be aware of where all the photographers are and stay out of their way. Stay behind the photo line, or go someplace else.
The best way to stay out of the way is to pick a spot where there really isn't a good line side shot, but the drone, with its unique viewpoint, can get a good picture. I can imagine some really dramatic drone shots from the narrows in places where nobody is going to be taking photos from the ground.
Where possible, drone operators should try to meet with the charter operators and find out where there might be a conflict and where flying a drone would be perfectly OK. As a local with railroad contacts, this is something that you (Roger) should be able to do.
Michael Allen
