Family photos ON train tracks - during rush hour?

So, did anyone observe a family having photos taken while standing on the train tracks (with their dog) early in tonight's rush hour?  I'll admit I wasn't there, but was told of this by the train-fan in the house who was at the station between 5:00 and 5:30 tonight. Apparently, the photographer kept loudly assuring the family that she does this all the time, and not to worry - they would feel a train coming before it got there. 

Seriously? 

Did anyone else witness this?  Would you as a parent encourage your kids to stand on the tracks (during rush hour) for family photos?  It this a "thing" I am not aware of? I guess it would make a nice Christmas card, but heck, couldn't you shoot it on the weekend when trains come once an hour? 

Maybe I am finally truly an old curmudgeon...

Darwin Award Christmas Greetings --- "Sorry we couldn't share the holiday with you this year"

wow, the title is exactly what it says.

strange

#1, this is illegal.  This is trespassing, and is also very dangerous, and if anyone has pictures of this photographer who was encouraging this please forward any information you have to Transit Police

http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PoliceTo

#2, trains today are MUCH quieter than from years ago.  Add to that welded rails, and you don't get the "warning" that you see in the movies. Not that it was ever safe to go on the tracks, but today the danger has only increased

About every three hours a person or vehicle is hit by a train

https://oli.org/

Winner...

Thank you, spontaneous - I thought it had to be illegal! Not to mention nuts...imho, of course.

An opinion shared by many.  This is a common complaint in both Railfan and Photography groups groups I follow.  It gets people killed on a regular basis.

There was a case of a movie set filming on a railroad and a member of the crew died. The director was charged with manslaughter and trespassing and served a year in jail after pleading guilty.

Last week at SO station, Kibbeboy and I were on the NYC side awaiting an evening train and looked across to see three teens, two young men and a young woman, sitting on the platform edge, feet and legs dangling. They took selfies and were laughing and one of the boys pretended that he was falling onto the platform. One of the young men had on house slippers, which just added to the oddness of it all. I don't get it. 

This is crazy! Why people don't respect the very large, very powerful and mostly silent trains is beyond me. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

So very illegal and so very stupid.

spontaneous said:

There was a case of a movie set filming on a railroad and a member of the crew died. The director was charged with manslaughter and trespassing and served a year in jail after pleading guilty.

it was a Gregg Allman biopic.  The scene was supposed to be a dream sequence. It was awful.  The movie remains unfinished.

In that accident, a full minute's warning wasn't enough time for the crew to escape to safety.

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/midnight-rider-crew-member-killed-in-georgia-train-accident-1201114468/

She was a Union Sister of mine.  The locations department was unable to secure permission to be on the trestle, so the producers decided to do it anyway.  Our business is full of this crap.  Someone dies every year, usually driving home after the fourth or fifth consecutive 15 hour day.