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I wanted to know how many times have you been asked to leave public property when watching trains by RailRoad Police or local Police and by what RailRoad.Beacuse i am a BNSF conductor and as long as your not in my way i don't care.
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Roger Hensley Member # 1374
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Never. I'm in Central Indiana and, although I have been looked over by the local police, I have never been stopped. Of course, I try to stay off of the Property and when I am on or near it, I am obvious like wearing an orange cap or a red jacket. I certainly do not attempt to hide the fact that I am there. :-)
This past week, I did several days Railfanning with my young grandson. An old man with a young boy with both having cameras kind of says what we are about.
Roger Hensley
Eric Member # 674
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I have only had one encounter with a bull in the past 7 or 8 years I've been railfanning, and this incident was understandable. I like to ride my bike along the BNSF ROW dirt road that parallels the tracks. One morning, I saw a stack train stopped about 80 feet beyond a red block signal. I figured that it was a surprise signal, and the train was in emergency. I continued on my ride, and about an hour later a white Jeep pulled up behind me, and the driver identified himself as a railroad police officer. He told me that someone (he said a jogger) had been messing with the signals, and I told him that I had seen the stopped train earlier. He asked me a few questions, but then decided that I was legit. He noticed the Amtrak baggage tags on my backpack, and we talked for awhile about the best trains to ride on (his was the CA Zephyr). It was nice to see an officer out there, just to keep things under surveillance.
conrailkid Member # 1898
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it has been for years that most railroad cops understand the railfans, and as long as you stay off the property, watching trains or taking pictures certainly wasn't a big deal. for those who subscribe, trains mag. did an article last month about the whole issue. are railfans a possible terrorist threat? as a railroad employee, i don't see it that way. most of the foamers that i have encountered are usually more well versed and better qualified on that particular piece of railroad than the employees. and it wouldn't be the first time that fans chasing us in cars have pointed out problems with our trains. the thing is, with the way the world is today, you have to excerise restraint. i think as the terrorist worry calms down, the railroad and local police will concentrate on more important things, not a man with his grandson waving at trains. my own philosophy is simple...don't disturb me, and i won't disturb you. i know plenty of people out there who love trains, and who am i to disrupt your fun. again, it comes down to watching where you are and what you are doing. i like seeing you all out there. beats the hell out of those rock-throwers! just be careful, and if the man comes up and asks you to leave...do it!
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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In the UK, wearing anything largely red while close to the rails is bad... an engineer/driver could interpret somebody on the tracks wearing red as a red flag (emergency stop). Likewise green and yellow.
Geoff M.
BNSF 1088 Member # 2400
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The local Police i think cause more problems because they don't know Railroad laws.
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MPALMER Member # 125
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Never been asked to leave public property.
Once asked to leave private property...it was on a service road that was not marked "private" but I took the officer's word for it and left. (This was the SP in Industry, Ca.)
Never climbed on freight cars or signal bridges (see Trains article mentioned above), but I have walked across rail bridges (ATSF Arroyo Seco near S. Pasadena, Ca.) The old ATSF truss bridge across the LA River (now gone) looked too scary so I did not attempt it. Would not repeat any of this today.
bull Member # 2647
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I had 30yrs as a BULL before retirement and asked 100s of rail fans to be careful along the tracks and to stay clear of trains but never removed them from the property unless the gave me trouble which as very few times most rail fans helped in many different ways.
trainman786 Member # 2780
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I regularly railfan the area around the railyards and old Santa Fe station in Temple, TX. I have never been asked to leave--in fact, railroad police and employees have, on several occasions, advised me of train movements and the best place to photograph them!
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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I was up at the Moffat Tunnel in May. Although a UP security guard seemed to appear a couple of times a day, he never asked anybody to move on. He said that as long as people were sensible and kept away from the tracks, he was happy.
Geoff M.
MPALMER Member # 125
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A couple of months ago I was at Washington (DC) union station out on the platform, trying to get a photo of a private car. It was on the tail end of a train on one of the "run-through" tracks.
I was asked if I had a train ticket (yes) and then told to leave the platform as I "shouldn't be out there taking pictures". It was the day of the big northeast blackout so folks were probably on edge.
Steve Dunham Member # 924
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The railroad police have never asked me to leave public property when I was watching or photographing trains. Most often I watch from station platforms (Fredericksburg, Ashland, and Alexandria in Virginia are my favorites; I've also gone to BWI a few times). The only hassle I've gotten has been while waiting for trains at Fredericksburg. The custodian there has told me that I was too early and shouldn't be hanging around the station. This has happened several times, and I have told him that I had a ticket and was staying right where I was.
------------------ Steve Dunham Literalman@aol.com http://www.stevedunham.50megs.com/
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