Harsh treatment from BNSF police.

[moparrailfan]

Myself,5 year old son,and a friend of mine were on a public bridge(on the sidewalk) over Argentine Yard in Kansas City last week and were stopped by a BNSF cop who after checking ids mentioned that he would appreciate it if we would  move along. A few days later we were stopped by a UP policeman at Airline Jct. who took our info and told us to be careful and off he went. I wish I would have mentioned to the BNSF cop about having the BNSF railfan card to see what his reaction might be,but forgot I even had it. I think next time I'm in KC I'll go check out Argentine again!

 

Doug

[Midnight Railroader]

No Military shipments can be photo'd NO EXCEPTIONS !

Please show me the law that makes this act illegal.

[Trainmaster.Curt]

Railfanning in Manitoba, i've never had any problems, only if you cross strict tresspass boundaries would you have any trouble

[magicman710]

I think the government should make it so if that you go to your local City Hall, they can give you a licence wich would allow you to photgraph and record trains, as long as your not on railroad property, and if the rr cops tell you to shut off the cameras, show them the licence, and if they refuse, just BEAT EM' UP!!

CSX cops are alot nicer than BNSF cops, they like railfans.

 

Grayson

[EJE818]

Around here it is quite different. CSX police are the people you don't want to run into. Around Chicago they think they own everything and always tell people to leave, even if they are on public property. I have never had a problem with BNSF but one time at Blue Island, a CSX officer told me that watching (not just photographing!) CSX trains from anywhere, public property or not, was not allowed and then asked us to leave from a sidewalk. I have been back there since and haven't been bothered again. They are known for throwing people off public property all the time around here.

[Midnight Railroader]

one time at Blue Island, a CSX officer told me that watching (not just photographing!) CSX trains from anywhere, public property or not, was not allowed and then asked us to leave from a sidewalk.

Again, 100% not true.

 

[Midnight Railroader]

I think the government should make it so if that you go to your local City Hall, they can give you a licence wich would allow you to photgraph and record trains, as long as your not on railroad property,

You already have this. You are allowed by law to do exactly what you describe, and anyone who attempts to stop you from doing so is violating the law.

The cops who try to make up laws on the spot rely on people's ignorance of their rights to push them around.

One cop told a railfan that there was a new law that superceded the US Constitution prohibiting railfanning. He didn't get away with it (ultimately), but if someone told me that, I'd laugh in his face.

[EJE818]

That incident took place at Morton Grove, IL when Metra police told two photographers that it was against the law to take photos, and that there were lawa that superceded the constitution. There have also been numerous incidents of people being thrown out of Pine Junction in Gary, Indiana, which is one of the premier places to see trains in the Chicago area. CSX has been throwing people off the EJ&E side at Pine Junction, which is a good 50-100 yards from the CSX tracks depending on where you park. I have never heard of anyone getting thrown out by EJ&E, most of their employees are very friendly and encourage photography from there. CSX, however, says they have authority over EJ&E and NS and can throw you out if they see you taking photos of EJ&E or NS trains, even from public property. CN has also told people to leave from public property, One time at Homewood, I was standing on a public sidewalk across the street from Homewood Yard, a CN officer walked over to us and told us it was illegal to take photos of trains from ANY property, even if it is public property. The funny thing is they just finished the railroad park in Homewood. Whats next? Is CN going to tell people they can't take photos from the railroad park? If you come to Chicago I suggest staying away from CSX if you don't want to be hassled.

[Midnight Railroader]

, a CN officer walked over to us and told us it was illegal to take photos of trains from ANY property, even if it is public property.

I hope you asked what law that was. You know, federal, state, muncipal? What section? What code?

[EJE818]

I told him that I never heard of any law that says that. He just said don't you be taking photos. He didn't say anything else about it being illegal to take photos, and I haven't had any problems with CN since.

[Midnight Railroader]

I told him that I never heard of any law that says that. He just said don't you be taking photos. He didn't say anything else about it being illegal to take photos, and I haven't had any problems with CN since.

Priceless.

[Newyorkcentralfan]

 

You were trespassing. Doesn't matter that you were doing it safely, you were trespassing.

 

And your proof this tresspassing actually occured is what? Just because the BNSF RR police said so doesn't prove their statement has any relationship with reality.

Here's a tip if your ever harassed by government police. Get their badge number and name if you can. Most times the name is on a nameplate on the uniform. Then go and make a complaint with your local police review board. By law they have to take it and investigate it.

The reason for doing this is that even if they find in the cops favor the complaint goes in their jacket and follows them forever. Too many complaints can keep them from getting advancement. Obviously, don't tell them that you're going to do this. All that will cause them to do is take more copious notes of the incident. 

 

[RicHamilton]

You were trespassing. Doesn't matter that you were doing it safely, you were trespassing.

 

And your proof this tresspassing actually occured is what? Just because the BNSF RR police said so doesn't prove their statement has any relationship with reality.

The problem is there are three situations and so far I have seen all three represented here and some people are getting confused especially on the bottom two and how the RR police act towards you is usually reflected by how you act in those situations.  I have seen people do number three because they feel it is thier right to do so.  Then they act rude with the police and help ruin it for the rest of us.  If you do #3 expect a problem

1- Not Tresspassing on RR property (ie on a municipal sidewalk, bridge road etc). 

2- 'Innocently Tresspassing' - Not knowing you were on private property (ie property not marked with No Trespassing signs) but not on the ROW

3 - Blatently tresspassing - intentionally going past the no tresspassing sign, going through/over a fence, standing on the ROW even just to look down the tracks etc