National Photo Badge

With all the controversy regarding photograrphers who are not riding trips, I have one possible solution. Why not set up a national
fund for this. Call it something simple like the National Photo Badge. I purposely did not use the word Rail, or Steam because this
might be an article of clothing someday, that a FAN may not want to wear into McDonalds for instance. The fund could be set up so you
pay a fee and get a special numbered badge you can attach to your clothing, or hat, or in your pocket. For an extended fee you might
get a NPB hat for example. Here are rough details how this might be feasible.

A national organization, or arm of an existing one (say NRHS, or ARM, or TRAIN for example) could run the money portion of the
fund, and print up all necessary badges or whatever extras are used. All money would be sent to them through the affiliated groups.
To be a group affiliated with the NPB, you would be required to take a minimum number of badges to sell, say 100. This makes you
eligible for funding from profits from the sale of these badges. Each badge sold has 20% of the sale going directly to that group, and
the remainder goes to the National Fund for future spending to all the groups.

Basic Badge prices. If you want to include the Tourist Railroads, then make two levels of badges.

Level 1: $50.00, which gets you a photo permit for all the Tourist Trains in the group.

Level 2: $100.00 for steam train excursions and tourist trains.

Make Level 1 and Red Badge, and Level 2 a Blue Badge. Nothing fancy, but something that is laminated perhaps. Spend $1.00 or
less on the badge. You could have NPB Hats for sale at $10.00-$15.00, or some other items for fundraisers as well.

National Photo Badges are valid for one full year, and folks who have them are permitted to photograph any trains in the group system
during that one-year period. After the year is up, they would have to renew at the same rate for the next year.

So, to make this worthwhile for the photographer lets give them what they want.....some good photos. Lets use the example of the
3751. If the train runs in 2003 to Williams, then the sponsors make a cheap handout that explains the schedule, and perhaps 5 or 6
designated spots where smoke will be made for NPB members. NPB members would have to get these direct from the source either
prior to the run, or show their badge to the group the day before or morning of the trip.....this to be worked out.

At the end of a designated period the 80% of the money collected that is sent to the national group is split fairly to the groups in the
system. This could be done as equal amounts, or based on the numbers of badges sold per group. If a group doesnÂ’t join they donÂ’t
get any of these funds.

The beauty of this is that a group may not run their engine one year, yet they might still be able to sell the badges, and generate some
money for restoration, while the photographers are out photographing something else that year.

ItÂ’s not a perfect scenario, but one that has some merit in my opinion.

I get real tired of this US versus THEM mentality, that will eventually rip the hobby apart, and take the fun out of it for everyone. If the trip organizers feel so strongly about chasers and photogrphers, then implement something like what I have outlined above, and lets move on.

Greg Scholl

PS. I know if this would be undertaken there will always be those who will never spend a nickel on something like this. However, it
would be a good way to identify those who DO help pay the freight, and give them a little something in return.


Videos
sales@gregschollvideo.com

Greg,

Interesting idea which is made more impressive by the fact that you are "in the business". I applaud your suggestion. I think an email password to a runby location disclosure website might work better than an inexpensive handout.

wyld@sbcglobal.net