I'm a full time railroader and it's a profession since it's what pays all my debts and keep the lights lit in my house.

I've been on charters with both Carl Franz and Trains Unlimited Tours, and they both passed the hat for crew tips at the end of their charters. While I probably would not try to tip the crew on a standard tourist trip, if the charter went well, and you worked the crew harder than their standard day, I'd say tipping is called for.

What's the best tip for the crew? In my opinion, that would be a copy of the photos or videos you shot on the trip. One of my favorite photos is a shot that Rob Simpson took of me on the caboose of one of our photo log trains crossing a trestle. It wasn't posed, and it looks great. I was very pleased to get a copy of it. Most crews never get the chance to take their own photos, and so a photo of the crew member at work is a very nice thank you. It's personal, a nice memento, and doesn't bring up the question of whether it's OK to accept it.

I've often found that sending photos makes for a friendly "welcome back!" the next time you visit. It's a nice way of saying thank you if the crew has given you special treatment, such as a cab ride.

Other nice thank yous are an invite to dinner after the run, though on some days the crew may be too busy or too tired to accept. Even so, just having it offered is a nice gesture.

As others have mentioned, the traditional tip of money brings up the question of how to handle it. In that case an extra donation for the operation/museum and given to the event supervisor might be the best approach.

Generally speaking, when I recieve cash as a tip, I try to politely refuse. If it's obvious the person would be insulted by the refusal, I pass it along to the powers-that-be and let them handle it.