Rude residents call csx on me

[Anonymous]

okay, I'm 12 years old and just about every day i walk down to the trax to watch a ES or local. So i'm sitting there with my scanner and some lady who lives across the trax calls csx on me and now i could have to pay a huge fine. Can csx fine me even though i never did anything??? to be honest with you all i should of told the lady to mind her own *** buisness. P.S. I never got near the trax about 50ft or so and there was no signs.
if people keep doin this no kids such as myself will ever enjoy trains like they used to.[:(]

[CTValleyRR]

You need to throw the BS flag on these people.... politely, of course.

People charged with enforcing the laws -- railroad police and regular police -- can tell you EXACTLY which law you've violated (Town Ordinance 1234; Title 10, United States Code, Section 1234), etc., etc.  If they give you a ticket, the specific law which you have violated MUST be on the citation.  If it isn't, due process hasn't been followed, and you don't have to pay a fine.  This is because you have the right to go look up the law for yourself!

So the next time someone tells you that you're breaking the law... well, if it's a civilian, politely disagree and be done with it.  Even if you're on THEIR property, you're not necessarily trespassing.  For example, in Connecticut, if I don't have a posted "No Trespassing" sign and I haven't specifically told you not to be on my property, you are permitted TRANSIENT access... and the law doesn't define transient.  Presumably, if you erect a tent, you're no longer a transient, otherwise, who's to say.  And if I see you, and don't do anything, then that's de facto permission to be there.  Then again, I'm not a lawyer or law enforcement officer and I might have it wrong, too!

Of course, If it's a law enforcement official, politely ask WHICH law, and write it down.  They can make mistakes too, and none of the cops I know are afraid to admit it.  If there's "a new law" which prohibits photograph, for example, they will be able to cite you chapter and verse.

The important thing is to BE POLITE and NON-CONFRONTATIONAL, as many have said.  But you cannot be convicted of a crime (even a summary offense, which is handled by a ticket and a fine) in the US without being told WHICH law you have supposedly violated.

It's a little trickier when you're on private (as in, railroad) property, because then their rules apply, but anything which is going to be handled by public courts is subject to habeas corpus.

 

[Bapou]

Wow. How long is it? What locos Etc.?

[arkansasrailfan]

He has it just for fun. Just think of it as a very big garden railroad.

[Bapou]

Wyoming,

Why did this lady want to stop the railroad? Does he have any locos anymore?

I think that there might be some legal considerations, if his railroad would haul freight and there is no other railroad in town, he could make an argument that it is not fair to the business because there are only trucks, and because of that prices are higher to ship items.

In other words not enough competition 

[Bapou]

For what it's worth, in October my partner and I fanned SEPTA and NJT for a week and used cameras quite freely.  Only once, at Newark Penn, was I told to put away the camera.  Specifically that taking photos was against the law.  It was a flash (film) camera, and if not for the flash she wouldn't even have noticed.  - a.s.

 

Actually taking photos of NJT trains is perfectly legal! There used to be a photo ban which you could get around with a special permit.

When I was in NJ a year ago we called the NJT police to ask about taking pictures, they said that we should bring ID just in case we were questiond, but that was all. 

[al-in-chgo]

For what it's worth, in October my partner and I fanned SEPTA and NJT for a week and used cameras quite freely.  Only once, at Newark Penn, was I told to put away the camera.  Specifically that taking photos was against the law.  It was a flash (film) camera, and if not for the flash she wouldn't even have noticed.  - a.s.

 

[arkansasrailfan]

lol!!!!!!

wait, did you say f unit? this is a normal road right? why are they still running F's?!?

Shorter road, not too surprised. Sctually, NS and UP have F7s fpr execs.

Actually, UP has E9s(which are really not true E9s-were rebuilt at Paducah by a Pvt. Contractor.)

[arkansasrailfan]

One of my friends owns a small railroad he can't run because a ***** won't let him run because she got a ****** court order.
If I was fined because of a lady, I would file a discriminanton lawsuit against her and teach her that I don't care what you have to say, because I'll railfan if and where I want to. I'm 14(today- the 14th)
I have been railfanning for a long time, and I've become friends with many railfans, and the UP Steam Team. Never told to leave, but a BNSF cop asked us to keep on the lookout for copper theives, who shut down the BNSF in Kansas, so he thought at first we might be one of them, but we weren't, and he gave us a BNSF "swoosh" tile.
I have over time met many crews.
I just think I just have been in luck, but it can bad--------quick.

Also, you may want to file a suit against CSX, to say you are being harassed, because you have done nothing illegal. To do something against CSX may be uncomfortable, but you have to do it if you have done no wrong, because of that dumb woman, who thinks a kid might be a terrorist and is going to do some sabatoge. Get a petition against the fine, whatever.
One thing, shoving it in her face and saying verbal harassment can get you in deeper doo-doo, just to make it less stressful.
Do what those railfans shooting the commuters trains did who got arrested for taking pictures, retaliate by using the legal system

Is this a 1:1 railroad or a model railroad? If it is  1:1 what is it's name. If it is model whatacale is it? I assume even if it is model it is outdoors, correct?

1:1. It's Paperton Junction Southern, and it can be found on railroad maps(UP mainline between Pine Bluff and Little Rock, but close to Pine Bluff)

[steam_marc]

My biggest problem with railfanning to date is standing by the tracks with a camera in East St. Louis trying not to look like an idiot, trying to look like I won't steal the rails, and trying to convince people that I have not got a cent on me.

[Bapou]

One of my friends owns a small railroad he can't run because a ***** won't let him run because she got a ****** court order.
If I was fined because of a lady, I would file a discriminanton lawsuit against her and teach her that I don't care what you have to say, because I'll railfan if and where I want to. I'm 14(today- the 14th)
I have been railfanning for a long time, and I've become friends with many railfans, and the UP Steam Team. Never told to leave, but a BNSF cop asked us to keep on the lookout for copper theives, who shut down the BNSF in Kansas, so he thought at first we might be one of them, but we weren't, and he gave us a BNSF "swoosh" tile.
I have over time met many crews.
I just think I just have been in luck, but it can bad--------quick.

Also, you may want to file a suit against CSX, to say you are being harassed, because you have done nothing illegal. To do something against CSX may be uncomfortable, but you have to do it if you have done no wrong, because of that dumb woman, who thinks a kid might be a terrorist and is going to do some sabatoge. Get a petition against the fine, whatever.
One thing, shoving it in her face and saying verbal harassment can get you in deeper doo-doo, just to make it less stressful.
Do what those railfans shooting the commuters trains did who got arrested for taking pictures, retaliate by using the legal system

Is this a 1:1 railroad or a model railroad? If it is  1:1 what is it's name. If it is model whatacale is it? I assume even if it is model it is outdoors, correct?

[Flashwave]

lol!!!!!!

wait, did you say f unit? this is a normal road right? why are they still running F's?!?

Shorter road, not too surprised. Sctually, NS and UP have F7s fpr execs.

 

I'm jealous of all you fellow teens with museum jobs and local history. All I get is a large on the way to INdy. The tracks through here were all ripped up before me. Man I wish I coulda seen a Pennsy T1 screamin through here.

There's a popular spot at Avon Yard by the fueling pad. Several of us GERFs park by a fenceof another buisness, marking property lines. we a ll sit in cars and watch the swithcing, and occasionally the Schnieder/Pacerstacks go through. Did see a kansas City Southern and an Amtrak. Most of the train crews drive past the spot, pause to make sure we're not a threat, and past the prop line, then go on.

Lesson: Don't Railfan in Providence RI Station. Dad and I did on a vacation, saw a couple electrics including the accelas. we laid down between trains, as the concrete post is not as comfy. a nice officer comes walking along and yelss at us. He saw dad and thought some passenger had had a heart attack and pssed out on the platform. took him a moment for him to understand we were just GERFing about watching the trains. Then he apologized and asked us politely to pick up and go. Apperently there was an issue with homeless sleeping down there, and with highspeeds moving through, the last thing they need is a homeless hood ornament.  

[oscaletrains]

lol!!!!!!

wait, did you say f unit? this is a normal road right? why are they still running F's?!?

[Cheese]

Hmmm,

I live in a small town, with an equally small railroad serving it. This town is so small, in fact, that I know the president of the line. Since I am an avid railfan, he had a paper printed up saying I had permission to be on railroad property, signed it, and ad it notorized for me to keep in my wallet. I am also friends with the engineers, who give me cad rides frequently, some long and some short.

Anyway, my only problem occured this past summer. The train was idling in the yard and I was granted a cab ride. It was a 3 unit lash-up in the precise order... GP18, FP7, GP18. I asked if I could ride in the F-unit, and my permission was granted. Well, an old lady, not knowing I has just spoken to the engineer saw me climbing up the steps into the cab. I had sat in one of the seats, when she huffed up to the ground below the door and screamed.... "GET DOWN FROM THAT DA**** CONTRAPTION BEFORE I CALL THE COPS".

Calmly, without saying a word I reached into my wallet, pulled out the paper and handed it out to her. After reading the paper she looked up at me, handed it back, and made such a face that I almost fell out the engine from laughter. The ride was fun to, by the way.

Cheese

[al-in-chgo]

I am 17 and frequent the railroads in the Joliet/Crest Hill area. I have not once had any problems in this area, but I have been told several times to leave places when I go traveling, every time from public property. The first time was at BNSF's Eola Yard when a rude Kane County sheriff ordered us to leave, thanks to some stupid people parked past the trespassing signs, even though we weren't the ones parked past the signs! He said a UP engineer called us in when a UP train didn't even come through! The second problem was when I went to a Pine Junction with a friend of mine. We were sitting all the way over by the EJ&E tracks when a CSX cop told as to leave, even though we were over 100 yards from their tracks! The third problem occured at Blue Island Junction on a PUBLIC SIDWALK when another CSX cop told us to leave. I've been back there since and haven't had problems. Then we went on a trip to Galesburg and was on the Thirwell bridge over the yard when a Galesburg cop told us to leave because he was suspicious we were "going to jump onto a train"! Then we head off to Homewood to the yard. Here I am on a public road when a CN officer comes up and tells us there are "new laws that prohibit photgraphyy of trains". I just went to the other side of the street and kept getting photos, and he left, go figure! He knew who was in the right! Then on the same day I was thrown off another public bridge in Bedford Park by a Chicago police officer. I don't know what the heck he was doing throwing us off a public bridge that wasn't even in Chicago! Overall, I've had quite a few run-ins, but that hasn't stopped me, and I've returned to every location mentioned above and haven't had any more problems. I do have to say it has gotten out of hand lately around here.

 

Golly, I don't blame you for feeling a bit . . .  persecuted. 

Since you basically know that public-venue shooting (like a public sidewalk) is not restricted but trespass upon the ROW for any purpose is, show the cops something that looks legal.  Go to http://www.bnsf.com/tools/resourceprotection/crs.html, and apply to join the "Citizens for Rail Security ("CRS").  Read the rules; and if you agree BNSF will issue you a pass/I.D. no. that you can print out on your own computer (and laminate if you like).  It basically states the legal principles above.  If a local Barney Fife believes all the bulls*** his ignorant boss tells him about the Patriot Act, at least you can pull something out that states the truth.  You might politely ask his name, too.  Especially if you're near BNSF property.  And get a good telephoto or zoom lens if you haven't already!

Best of luck, al