Photography

[Anonymous]

I have read with interest the issues surrounding NJ, but as a Briti***ourist hoping to photograph and film Tehachapi, Mojave and Cajon, what are the chances of being hassle free. Do not want to travel al that way to have film and equipment confiscated.

In the UK there was a knee jerk reaction that lasted about a week, and has disappeared, although Aircraft enthusiasts are being drafted after checking as extra eyes for the police - which is interesting.

In the rest of Europe there appears to be little hassle apart from areas that have always been sensitive- France most of it,Italian borders and oddly Spain, although they have issued me with a photo permit every year, which seems to calm everyone down.
Thanks for any responses.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

Welcome!
You should have no trouble photographing on Cajon Pass or Tehachapi as long as you stay on public property. I don't know about Mojave since I have never photographed there.

Part of Cajon Pass is in the Los Angeles National Forest. There are some public fire roads in the vicinity of Cajon Pass that may or may not be open, depending on weather conditions. While I have driven over them in a standard sedan (no 4 wheel drive or high clearence) without a problem I suggest you rent an SUV if you plan to use them. There are some arroyos near the tracks at Cajon off California Highway 138. Do not park in them; the Forest Rangers ticket those who park in them even though the day is dry, and there is no rain in sight.

There is a paved road you can use to drive to the railroad summit of Cajon Pass, and there is plenty of space to park your car off the road. That road is winding and narrow in spots, but if you drive carefully you shouldn't have any problems. I haven't been to Cajon Pass since 1985, however, there is a fence in the vicinity of the summit, but there are open areas where you can photos. That fence was put in after a train ran away downhill because the railroad's security forces' knee-jerk reaction that the runaway was caused by vandalism when the problem was actually mechanical.

The best part of Tehachapi is its West Slope where the line climbs from about 1200 feet to the Tehachapi Summit which is at 4000 feet. There are some good photo locations from public property at Caliente, Bealville, Woodford, and the Tehachapi Loop overlook on Tehachapi-Woodford Road.

I seriously doubt if you will be hassled for photographing trains either on Cajon Pass or Tehachapi because there are railfans there all the time, and the police are used to them.

Perhaps you can answer a few questions about railroad phtography in Great Britain and Europe.
1. Does Network Rail still require railfans or train spotters to notify the railroad stations it manages in advance if they want to photograph trains from those station platforms?
2. How long has Network Rail's advance notification policy been in effect?
3. Do railfans or train spotters have to notify stations managed by the train operating companies in advance if they want to photograph trains from their station platforms?
4. Are there any restrictions on photographing trains in Great Britain from public property such as streets, parks, bridge walkways?
5. There were reports France has recently banned photographing trains in stations or along the line, are these reports accurate?
6. Have any other countries recently banned photographing trains?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response.
You will have no problems in the UK as long as you stay on platforms and on the right side of boundary fences, going onto the tracks is a definite offence.
Most stations worth visiting attract regular crowds, whon are generally viewed as extra eyes watching what is going on.
The UK has lived with terrorism for 30 years due to activities of the IRA, so we are not so prone to knee jerk reactions.
Let me know in areas you may be interested in and I will give you as much detail as I can.

In general Continental Europe is the same as the UK with a couple of exceptions.

Some time ago I was escorted off most Paris Terminii, and this along with my dislike of French attitudes in general, has ensured I have never returned.
Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland are my particular favourites.
I also rate Spain, but even before the Madrid bombing, they required a photo permit. I applied for my first one enclosing a few examples of my work. After returning from Spain I sent them of my Spanish shots. I have received a permit every year since.

Thanks again

[JoeKoh]

Hi
welcome
take pictures leave footprints.I usually dont have any problems.
stay safe
Joe

[RudyRockvilleMD]

Here is more on Cajon Pass. First if you come to California I suggest buying the De Lorme Atlas for Southern California because it will give you an idea about the roads and the railroads in the area.You can generally find them in most chain bookstores such as B Dalton, Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Walden.

Going north out of San Bernardino Cajon Boulevard, which is old US 66, runs in a north-south direction, close to and east of the BNSF tracks so you can photograph BNSF or Union Pacific trains in the intial stages of climbing or descending Cajon Pass. Cajon Boulevard passes Devore and Blue Cut, and because it is east of the tracks the trains are well lighted in the morning. Cajon Boulevard ends at Cleghorn Road so you will have to use Interstate 15 for a few miles to reach California Highway 138.

By the way the Forest Rangers' concern about parking in the arroyos near the tracks near California Highway 138 is flash flooding if rain storms suddenly develop.

Thanks for the answers to my questions about rail photography in Europe. I guess the reports about France forbidding railroad photography are accurate although one of my railfan acquaintances who recently returned from France told me he had no problems photographing trains, however, he was not in Paris.

I didn't realize Spain requires a permit to photograph trains. In 1998 I stood on the platform in Zaragoza photographing trains for an hour, and nobody even bothered me. I left to find other locations after that. Two years ago I photographed the AVE trains in the Puerta de Atocha station, and again, nobody bothered me. I also photographed an Alco PA 1 sitting near the RENFE shops south of Madrid from a nearby suburban station.