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[Anonymous]

Today I have a a serious topic for everyone.... Are we railfans still considered a threat to national security? Me and a friend of mine were railfanning on the North Georgia division a while back and we were stopped and questioned about our intentions by local law enforcement. One of them told me it was "strange to be sitting around watching for trains." Guess someone should tell him about this site.... Have any of you as railfans been stopped regarding your hobby? I would like to hear any stories you may have... I think that if you have permission to watch on public lands then police should have no say in the matter....
TM223

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I think that much of it depends on where you're railfanning. I've never had any problems when I've been photographing from overpasses, grade crossings, station platforms, etc. I also do my railfanning in the Chicago area and this may also be a factor.

[tabeckett]

I've never had a problem here in the Binghamton NY area, but I'm also in a backwater of two large systems. I've never seen an NS cop here, and the CP police know me at least by sight-they also know I do my watching/photography from well off the property. CR very rarely sent their PD here. I also try to keep a low profile by not hanging around in conspicuous places for very long, and I keep moving. Fortunately, the train speeds here make chasing a reasonable possibility.

I have friends in the NY City area who have repeatedly been moved on by various police-LIRR, NYPD, Port Authority, NJ Transit, etc-from public locations. I understand the security concerns, especially in a place where the wounds of terrorism are still raw. At the same time, I think someone pursuing a legal activity in a public place should be left alone. Just because someone thinks the hobby is "strange" doesn't mean the participants should be regarded as suspicious.

[Anonymous]

I've had only one minor problem in New Westminster with BNSF...the situation was I was photographing and making video of trains but this overpass which is near a small yard. My video camera couldn't overlook the yard because the tripod wiould block the sidewalk and cause problems with pedestrians and cyclists, so I set up off the walk and positioned the camera to shoot only mainline traffic. So with my video camera set up I would walk away from the video to watch the switching going on and to take digital pictures, but my going back and forth got the crews working in the yard a bit concerned about my activity so a short time later I was visited by BNSF's trainmaster. WE had a little discussion and that was that so I now stop doing it or at least let the crews get close enough to see me with my camera gear so they know what going on.
Oh BTW I couldn't shoot from the bridge by hand because of a chain-link fence that runs along the length of the span, still able to get the still images through the openings.

I've been doing alot of my photography from the station platform with no problems some of the crews say "hello" some wave as their trains go by me, while others just walk by anf say nothing, but thats ok I'm just there to take pictures not get in their way.

[JoeKoh]

The only time I saw a railroad cop was at the dedication ceremony in Bryan Ohio.He just wanted to make sure people stayed off the mainline.Other times when railroad employees see me they wave. They really wave if matt is with me.If you take pictures leave foot prints there should be no problems.
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

you a threat im riding inside boxcars and locos and when i get off i always thank the crew for being blind . ive even got so tired of hiding in a bush or tree and even under
a vehichle waiting for the rr cop (bull) to leave that i just show myself and leave
i remember 1 time i was mistaken for a spy for NS I was In Mansfield Ohio on a cold september night and wearing a black flight suit black B.D.U. cap and boots
sitting in a tree around 2 am with binoculars and when the bull seen me i froze and thought oh hell i hope its warm in jail but he said that the train was waiting for a crew and asked if iwanted a ride to the lead locomotive I played along and said yea I got in and he kept askin me about NS i told him i was the switch man and he says we dont use them much any more on CSX LINES but he thought i was with NS so for that day i was the man and if thats not a bad thing it was 9-12-01if you were to be a terrorist hes the man to fool i hope he doesnt read this or his boss might have his job and his ass