PHOTO: Jackie Johnson
As high school seniors plan their senior portraits, Wisconsin railroad officials are urging them to keep the tracks off their list of potential backdrops.
The symbolism can be very effective for a reflecting the life of someone looking to move one, with a high school senior sitting on a set of railroad tracks leading out of town. Those pictures are the result of trespassing though, and State Railroad Commissioner Jeff Plale says “it’s incredibly stupid.”
Plale says police have been making more of an effort to address the issue, with some departments asking high school yearbook committees not to accept senior photos involving railroad tracks. There have also been instances of police seeing photos posted on social media , then writing a ticket for both the student and the photographer.then
AUDIO: State Railroad Commissioner Jeff Plale (:31)
Plale says it’s an issue of safety, as concerns about pedestrians and trains increase as the state sees an uptick in rail traffic. This year alone, five people have died after being hit by trains in Wisconsin.
Plale notes that photographers are learning not to suggest shooting along tracks. He credits several national associations for trying to get the message out to their members.