trespassing injuries by rail fans

[Anonymous]

I work for a tourist railroad that is normally pretty receptive to railfans. We offer cab rides on every trip and even work with railfan groups on photo runbys, shop tours, and other specail opprotunities. But the liability is extreme. The engineer is responsible for meeting and inspecting potential cab riders before they are allowed on the engine. There has been many a time that someone has paid the $95.00 cab ride cost and been turned down because the engineer does not feel it is safe. Any non railroad employ not ridind in a passenger car is always escorted by a RR employee, and any unauthorized persons are promptly reported to the police. Besides the liabilities of lawsuits, any injury on railroad property has to be reported to the FRA. And believe me, they do not like to see any injuries at all, let alone injuries to the general public. So for all the railfans, be courteous to the rr employee when he asks you leave, he is just doing his job. Take as many pictures as you want, but don't expect special treatment or considerations just because you have been a railfan for thirty years and are just trying to get one more shot.

[oskar]

geez, some of these trespassing rail fans dont listen I obey the signs except someplaces but mostly I do like anywhere near a yard. ex. the hump yard in hamlet. I watch the cars go by thats all I do I dont go past any crossing there or go try to get pics of the units. but the only time I trespass is to try to get in a cab I dont get on the tracks I take pic and ask the engineer if its ok to come up or I go away incase there is another train but mostly the engineer says yes. there was somebody in salisbury, NC that said to me and a couple other people "there is a dummy in every group''



kevin