RAILFANNING

[trainchris]

I would like to go railfanning and take pictures, but I don’t need to get arrested for this. I also don't know anyone with property where this can be done. I live in NJ and have a good mix of commuter, and freight trains to pick from. Does anyone here know a way of doing this without getting into trouble?

While I’m at it, would anyone like to share their own stories, good or bad that they may have about they’re own railfanning trips? [:D]


Thank you in advance for any advice given and stories told.

[Anonymous]

don't trespass stay on public land. if a cop stops and asks what you are doing tell him your a railfan and like to take pic's for a hobby .but be nice dont give him any trouble respect them and they should respect you .

[Rotorranch]

It was probably about 10 years or so ago, my wife, The Kid and myself went to Chattanooga to see the Aquarium and the ChooChoo museum. While there, I decided we'd check out the hobby shops. While riding around town, we got lost, and spotted a railyard. Cool hump yard, don't remember whose, NS maybe? Any way, The Kid is sitting on the hood of the car, wifey and myself standing next to the fence, and it starts snowing. So while we are there watching the yard work, a police car pulls up along side of us. The officer gets out, and asks what we are doing here. I said we are watching the trains. The officer stated that this wasn't the best of neighborhoods for us to be in, and we might want to leave before it got dark. We talked for a bit, and I explained we had no idea where we were, so the officer said to follow him, and then we left, and yeah, it wasn't one of the best places I had been. The officer led us back to the mainstream part of town unmolested, and all was good. It was an interesting adventure though! And the first time I'd ever seen a hump yard in operation...actually, the first time I'd ever seen a hump yard at all! Was way cool!

I can't wait to go to Chattanooga again, but this time I'll be equipped with my Mavica and my S&W .357!

Rotor

[Anonymous]

Look around for track that get close to public property like parks, hiking trail stuff like that or if you cannot find those scope out Private propert like buisnesses and ask permission (get it in writing if possible). As Rotor was saying watch out for the neighborhood. It is not worth getting hurt watching trains. If the Police question you just be nice and tell them what your doing and your intentions ie: just watch, take photos it even a good idea to have a cople of books with you just to show you are truthful, and that you just think trains are the cats meow.

[Jetrock]

If you have a membership card (NMRA or some railroad museum or associaton) bring it along--it can be a "second ID" and helps back up the fact that you're a railroad nut!

A railroad-related T-shirt might help too!

[Anonymous]

If you live in NJ, watch out. Taking pictures of New Jersey Transit is illegal. And I know railfanning is also illegal in New York. The Metro east really isn't the best spot for railfanning.

[pike-62]

I railfan in NY all the time and I don't think any laws have been passed that ban people from taking pictures. If you are on public property IE... a sidewalk on the side of the road you can take pictures of anything you want. The problem usually arrises when you are trespassing. I frequently railfan at a location in buffalo that has good viewing from a side street that has parking on the side of it. When we are there the CSX security people usually drive by and ask how things are going. Sometimes they will even give us a heads up on something coming in the yard. NJ transit may be flexing it's "muscle" by telling people this, but if you are on public property or have permision to be on private property (someones parking lot) then you are in no violation af any laws that I am aware of. One other thing on this public property issue. McDonalds parking lot, or any other for that manner, is not public property. likewise, Amtrak and NJ transit can ask you to keave their property as even though it is taxpayer sibsidized is still viewed as private property. A good example of this came from a relative of mine over the weekend. He works for a branch of the government that deals with some top secret security issues. A couple of weeks ago there was a person outside of their building videotaping it. The secret service, who provides security at this building, could not do anything to him untill he foolishly entered the property. All bets were off after that.

The moral here is to
1 stay off of private property
2 if you are confronted, don't give an attitude.
3 know your rights

[waltersrails]

Last year when i was video taping a train the railroad called the cops on me and the police came and asked what i was doing. Once the police and the railroad knew what i was doing. Everything was fine. But funny in the end.

[loathar]

I think as long as you don't have a white robe, turbin and a beard, the cops usually leave you alone. Just be friendly and don't give them any attitude.

[selector]

QUOTE: Originally posted by loathar

I think as long as you don't have a white robe, turbin and a beard, the cops usually leave you alone. Just be friendly and don't give them any attitude.

That is called 'racial profiling' and is illegal....at least here in Canada. The police are far better off doing their job impartially by randomly scrutinizing all fans, regardless of their heritage or appearance. Surely those bent on doing harm are smart enough to avoid drawing attention to themselves by wearing ethnic clothing, so the police would presumably be 'hassling' innocent ethnicities if they only ever confronted those in ethnic clothing.

[cjcrescent]

Last year a friend of mine and I worked the GATS show that was in Little Rock. We found a public place to park and stand near the departure/arrival yard for the UP. While we were there several RR police would drive by and check on us, making sure we didn't get on the property. After a about an hour of shooting some trains, we started to leave. A LR police car came up, asked for our ID's, saw we from out of state and said the RR had called them for some suspicous characters at X location. After checking the ID's he asked to see our pics, since we had digital cameras we showed him. The officer who responded turned out to be a railfan himself and then escorted us to several other locations for pictures. We all had a blast until we had to return to open for the show. Later on the officer even showed up at the show and bought some stuff from us.

[csmincemoyer]

Check www.railpace.com. They have an article on their sight about how NJ Transit has decided to rewrite the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Basically to sum of their actions your are guilty until they decide you are innocent.

[Anonymous]

I also live in upstate NY and have never herd of this law

but i am kinda lucky i can stand on my porch and watch trains pass over head

[Hawks05]

Well being that I live in a small town that see's very little rail traffic I just go by ear. I usually go to one of the side roads in the country that is a mile west of town. Or my friends house is about 100 yards from the tracks. So when I'm there I can watch the trains go by.

Going to Winona will be nice though. CP going right through campus, BNSF just across the river on my way north on 35 along the Mississippi with many scenic spots to take pictures. UP yard downtown. I'll have a lot of chances to take pictures. I was told that the Amtrak depot down there is a very good spot to take pictures. I'll have to check out some of the places as I get used to campus and the community.

Find public places: parks, parking lots, sidewalks, paths. Be nice to officials, wave at the crews. Just don't cause trouble would be my advice.

[grayfox1119]

We can blame a lot of the harrassment on 911. We can't even walk around the reservoir property near our home without the DPW police giving us the 3rd degree. Too much of this is a gross over-reaction in my opinion. Living in fear, just what the terrorist idiots want.