Norfolk Southern's ex-Southern mainline and CSX ex-Piedmont & Northern Belton sub both pass through my town. They cross each other on a pair of bridges. This would be a cool spot to railfan, however, it's surrounded by private property. However, the Middle Tyger River also passes through this spot and under both lines.
My question is, can I legally canoe or kayak up the river to this spot and watch trains so long as I stay on the water?
Also, has anyone ever gone railfanning from a canoe or kayak? What precautions do you take with your camera and scanner. Both crafts are easy to flip and thought of giving my DSLR a bath isn't terribly appealing.
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
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Mind you I'm no expert, but if the Middle Tyger River is a public waterway there shouldn't be any problem with you canoeing or kayaking up to that spot you mentioned as long as you stay off private property.
I heard somewhere, maybe "Blue Ridge Outdoors" magazine, the Middle Tyger is a pretty good river to canoe to begin with.
And I'd bring a camera I darn well knew was waterproof! Why take chances?
Keep your camera equipment in a waterproof box, something that will float even if dumped in the river. Don’t try to paddle while the camera is out, and stay seated. As long as conditions are reasonably calm, you and your equipment should be fine. I suspect the bigger problem will be tying to maintain the boat position you want while photographing the train. Just a little wind and/ or current can turn a boat like that fairly quickly while drifting, messing up your positioning.
The only problems I've ever heard regarding adjacent property owners and rivers was a situation where the properties extended into the river (or river bottom). The owners didn't mind boats passing, but took exception to fishing there - you have to pull your lines in while in that section of the river. It's a convoluted story, to say the least.
I doubt you'd run into that. Another consideration is whether it's considered a navigable waterway, in which case you're home free, even if you can't go ashore in certain areas.
As for your camera, bringing along a camera that is waterproof is a given, whether it's something like a GoPro, or you get a waterproof case for your DSLR. Either way, make sure that it will float. A waterproof camera sitting on the bottom of the river is pretty useless, too...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Your access to the river at put-in and take-out should also be at legal access.
The one time I tried it (from a ~25' sailboat), there was a lot of motion from the wind, waves, and current - and it wasn't anchored, so it tended to drift and turn.
I wouldn't try it from a kayak - no room to put anything. Use a canoe, and get a partner who can hold it more or less steady and in position when needed. When I've used mine for hydrographioc surveys, we had 2 paddlers - 1 at each end - and the person with the rod or sampling bucket, etc. was in the middle with nothing else to do.
See if you can find a local paddling club who'd be willing to help out for a case of beer or something. People who do whitewater could do it - those who paddle mostly on flatwater, not so much.
Will you be able to know when a train is coming?
Good luck with it!
- PDN.
As far as railfanning from a kayak goes, I have paddled up a river and seen trains on a historic bridge not acessable by land. It is really cool. I will be bringing the camera next time(in a waterproof box) and make a "Trackside Treks Extreme" video.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
I've railfanned and kayaked a number of times in rivers in North Georgia and love it. Unique perspective that folks who don't get on the water have. The only issues I've ever had with getting wet is either when I jumped in, on purpose, or tried to do something silly. All the same, my cell lives in a waterproof case and my camera is, itself, waterproof. I also dive and it is possible to get completely waterproof cases for DSLR cameras. I've not had issues with missing shots, but, it is necessary to plan your shot ahead of time and know that you will drift as you take pictures. Just makes the shots mor interesting, IMHO. I've gotten some cool coal train pitures and a couple of shots of trains on bridges from a different perspective. I enjoy it.Might be nice to put in above the site and float by headed down river. Paddle up stream, against a current, CAN be done, but it isn't one of my favorite things to do.
It depends on the laws of your state. Some states have open access waterways that allow watercraft to use rivers, creeks and streams without violating adjacent landowners' property and others do not. Some states require permits/boat tags to use state waterways and other do not for unmotorized craft. The best thing to do is to find out what the laws are in the state in which you want to operate. No sense running afoul of the Natural Resources police. I have had the pleasure of viewing CSX trains along the Casselman, Youghiogheny and Potomac rivers from canoe and kayak for many years.
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