Permission to enter RR Property

[Anonymous]

As a rail fan who wants to take some good pictures, how difficult is it to get permission to enter railroad property, and which railroads are more or less willing to grant such permission.

[edblysard]

Very difficult to say the least. If you are a professional photographer, working on a story, you would have to get written permission from the general manager of what ever facility you wanted to photograph. You would have to sign a waiver releasing the carrier from liability if you are injured or killed on rr property.
As a fan, wanting pictures for your private collection, unless you have a friend working there who is willing to take the risk of you getting hurt or killed, and willing to risk losing their job if caught sneaking you on property, the odds are you cant.
The only times I have allowed someone other than my wife and kids on property,(to bring me lunch) has been A: when I know the person, and they are familar with railroads, B: when I am in control of all the movements at that end of the yard, & C:, If the car they want to photograph is close to a public street, and they would not have to cross tracks to get their photos. I never allow anyone to cross tracks into the yard, its way to dangerous, I cant take the risk of them getting hurt for a photograph. If you can get your shot in a few seconds, and then get off property, without putting yourself in danger, then, if I know you, I will accompany you and allow you to get the shot. I never allow anyone to be alone, even if they are just standing on the edge of the track. Sitting still, this stuff look fairly safe, but it can move quickly and quitely, a lot more than you would belive. Dusk may be the most dangerous time in a yard, cars sneak out of the shadows and can show up in a blink of a eye.
If you can get your shot from public property, do so, instead of sneaking onto rr property. Its not legal, & its dangerous.
Stay frosty
Ed

[Anonymous]

These days, "it ain't gonna happen". Between the BS lawsuits that lawyers promote on national TV, and the general paranoia after 9-11, forget it. You'll never again get onto a "class-1" RR property again unless you have a REAL good reason to be there. Unfortunatly, wanting to take pictures is no longer a good reason. If you have any shortlines in your area, you might have SOME luck with them, but even that is pretty much shot nowadays. If you know someone who works for the RR, ask him if he would take some pictures for you. I handed my fully loaded camera to a friend of mine who works on CN at Battle Creek, and he shot the entire roll. After developing, I saw some shots that I'd have composed differently, but what the hay, it beats getting arrested.
Wishing for the good old days,
Todd C.

[Anonymous]

Hello group my name is Rodney I work for the BNSF as a switchman in the Galesburg Il. terminal we do not allow non railroad personal in the yard except for our wives and girl friends to bring or pick us up from work my wifes 17 year old son wanted to pick me up but i would not let him because his attention span is that of a nat my wife picked me up one day she was there about an hour before I got off and I was on the yard job that switches out the bad orders which means we were kicking cars she herd the cars hit that i kicked out and has never been back in the yard again the car slamming got to her she said to that they were loud I told her that was misic to my ears part of the job besides we will arrest for trespessing. Rodney

[Anonymous]

Thanks for giving me the lay of the land. I guessed that it was probably not going to happen, but the optomist in me thought, why not ask those who would know for sure. I really like the idea of giving the camera to a relative of mine that works for the railroad. I would still look forward to hearing from anyone who has more thoughts on this subject.
Jeff

[mccannt]

Simple common sense, in my opinion, dictates that you stay safely on public property to photograph trains.

If you see something interesting in a rail yard and want to shoot it, it is easier, safer and more legal to find out when it is scheduled to leave the facility.

With all the railfan forums, web sites, trackside guides and other reference materials available today, a railfan can plan to enjoy the hobby without getting arrested for trespassing or killed by a passing train. Is that photograph really worth your life?

[RudyRockvilleMD]

The short answers are no and no. If you see something interesting in a yard or an engine terminal, and you want to photograph it, make sure you are on public property first, and use a telephoto lens if necessary. However, with the heightened security concerns about all of our transportation systems, you might be reported as a spy or a terrorist for photographing a railroad facility even from public property.

[BRAKIE]

I have still found short lines to be more friendly then the bigger railroads.Be sure to stop at their office and sign a release form.Also smaller yards in the smaller cities/ towns still seem to be friendly but,like the others have said do not trespass on railroad property anywhere or anytime!

I visit a small yard office from time to time and usually have coffee with the YM and some times the yard crew,still I do not trespass for any reason as I cherri***he time spent with my friends there.

No,I need not cross any tracks getting to the office as the office is right off the street.

[edblysard]

Good to see that still goes on. If they know and trust you, great. Hope you enjoy the time with them. It goes to show you, most railroaders are more than willing to talk to fans, a lot even go out of their way to make it pleasent for them. We arn't such a bunch of hard noses as we are made out to be. I have been known to use a fans camera to get them a photo they would otherwise miss. And a YM can teach you a lot about how railroad really run..
Have fun,

Ed

[Anonymous]

Ed you are right about the biggest share of us not being hard nosed. During our railroad days here in Galesburg we had a new ge locomotive by the depot for the public to tour. I took my wifes family through they were asking my a ton of questions and some fans were in the cab. The fans thought it was strange to have an a ture trainman there for some information. Rodney Beck

[edblysard]

We do a christmas train each year, we get a flat car and the shop guys have a sleigh they mount to it, a box car with christmas lights, and a open gondola with big boxes done up like presents stacked up in it, along with an old up caboose. We volunteer as elves, and we have a switchman here who does a great Santa. We advertise in the local and comunity papers, and on christmas eve, we make stops in the comunities our tracks go through, give out candy, gifts and canned food. You know most of the comunitites around yards arnt the richest in town. Wherever we stop, the engineer plugs it, we tie it down, he isolates the motor and pulles the reverser. Then anyone who wants a tour is welcome. We get quite a few railfans, and most are amazed that we will allow them to get on, much less in the motor. And every single one of them has to see the caboose, and sit up top for a second. My wife didnt understand the first few time I volunteered to do this, I am lucky, my yard job is blanked christmas eve, she didnt see how much fun it is. So last year, I talked her and the two oldest kids into comming along. The engineer that night was a guy I have worked with for years, and he let her sit on the seat, and run the motor for a while. She had a blast. And when we stopped, to hand out the goodies, she finally got it. We get the local stores, walmart, krogers ect to donate food, clothes, whatever thay can, and we give it all away. She handed a kid a new pair of sneakers, but they wernt the right size. She took that little boy inside the boxcar, made him sit there, and went thru every pair till she found ones that fit. I am sure his mom though my wife stole him, they were gone so long. But at the end of the night, on the way home, she told me she understood now, it wasnt getting to ride the caboose, or dress up as elevs or santa, we sure wernt getting paid for the trip. It was the fact that for one night, the big bad railroaders could act just like everyone else, have a good time, help out those who need help the most, and allow, for just a while, the fans who stand there wishing they could do what we do a chance to see it from our side of the cab. She never realized how many railfans there were, and was amazed that we would spent our christmas eve out here, talking to them, instead of home watching TV. She even answerd a few questions about the generator field switch being off, and the diffrence between "big" air, and the independent. Yeah, ten minutes in the seat, a chance to blow the horn and ring the bell, and she thinks shes a engineer...
You stay frosty.
Ed

[edblysard]

Forgot to add, to the person who started this line, I had to sign a waiver for my kids, and my wife had to sign a waiver for herself to be allowed to be on property last christmas.
Be safe,
Ed

[BRAKIE]

Ed,I have found over the years over 90% of railroaders are friendly toward fans as a rule.I truely believe and speaking from my pass railroading days,fans can be a pain.I would talk to a fan if I wasn't busy getting my job done..I did not like having to watch them to see what they may be into trying to get that perfect picture,as I had to watch the movement of the train and the where abouts of my follow crew members on the ground and what signals they may be giving for me to relay to the engineer.This was while I was working on the PRR and we did not have radios to work with..
So,some fans may have thought I was not friendly durning this time,that was not the case,I was busy at the time.
There is a small Mom and Pop type resturant I go to that has alot of retired railroaders that loaf there drinking coffee and having breakfast,I have found these gentlemen more then willing to talk about their past railroading days.Truth be told,their eyes light up and they will talk your leg off about railroadin'! I have talked to are former PRR,NYC,EL,C&O,NKP,N&W,CSX,NS,one 87 old cuss that worked for the Wabash..Some are 80 something year old steam locomotive engineers.All seem to be of good memory and has a wealth of information to share.

[mudchicken]

Federal rule 49CFR214 (On-Track Safety) is the biggest killjoy not mentioned here, especially when it can be applied ($10,000 fine and all)by FRA or OSHA inspectors against a guy allowing an untrained visitor on the property (and the visitor gets a fine too). Add the terrorism lookout stuff and it makes plenty of sense for a well intentioned railfan to be inconspicuous on the R/W...Don't blame the railroaders...

[wabash1]

I have mentioned this in the past but at a terminal i will be hard nosed. but away from the terminal anything goes if i Know where the bosses are. I was sitting in a siding one day and while waiting on a meet a car pulls up. a man and his boy in the car we invited them up as long as they promissed not to get hurt and helped them to come up when they got there i showed the boy and his dad the engine a sd 60 and what everything does i dropped the generator field so it wouldnt load and let the boy kick the brakes off play with the throttle and blow the horn. i offered the dad the same thing but he declined. they both had big smiles on their faces and they thanked us. yes my conductor and i took a big chance on getting fired but it was worth it to see them as we left (after the meet) with the big smiles from ear to ear. I will most likly do it again, i have gave 3 differant tours of engines and a few rides to some and have been thank by all some who when they recognize me sitting there will go and buy coffee or pepsi then bring them back with out asking them to. they just do it. and it is always nice to see them again and knowing that you mad someones day better.

[Anonymous]

Sir, I had the same privilage happen to me and my two boy's. A train was sitting at a siding, me and my boy's were watching from a safe distants. The crew called us over and gave us a tour. (The railroad shall remain nameless.) They too, allowed my boy's to blow the whisel. My boy's talk about that experence all the time. (I believe that's what made them into railfans.) One cold morning I seen the same train and crew sitting at a siding. I stopped and bought them donut's and coffee at the local Dunkin Donuts. When I walked up to that engine carrying the Donuts and coffee, the crew had the same look on them as my children had when they recieved the train tour. To this day when ever I see that crew I alway's stop and buy them coffee and donut's.
TIM A

[Anonymous]

My engineer and I done the same thing in a siding and you are right about the ear to ear smile on a childs face it is priceless. As for the coffee and donut`s at this siding it is much better the childs father and mother usualy gives us more at that siding we most often leave the siding full of coffee and cookies. Rodney

[traisessive1]

Well...where i live (canada) my city has a small yard....I have gone in there many times to take pictures...they have not once kicked me out. I have gotten to know some of the guys there.....they know who i am, what i am there for so as long as i stay back and away from them working....they dont mind at all!

[edblysard]

Tim, I let you in on something, if you promise not to tell anyone else. What we do for a living, regardless of how loud we gripe, is a whole lot of fun. When we get the chance to share that fun, even for only a few minutes, its really really fun. We also get a ego boost when non railroaders get to see the tools of the trade up close, and understand how big, heavy and powerful this stuff is. And we get to use it, and make it do what we want all day long. Most of us are of proud of what we accomplish, although we dont often hear praise for it from our employeer, so when we get a little attention and a couple of "wows" from railfans, it pumps us up a bit.
You keep on asking those tough questions, and if you ever get to houston, look me up. Bring your kids...
Stay frosty
Ed

[UPTRAIN]

Just call up your nearest railroad police officer most are very approacable people :D

[Anonymous]

Take a look around the yards and see if you can find any crew shuttle drivers. If you can get a yard van driver (either in a railroad marked vehicle or a private crew hauler van) to go out on their next run into the bowels of the yard and shoot some pictures for you you might be surprised at some of the good stuff you get back. I used to do long haul (yard to home office of a transfer crew or dog catch a dead on hours crew) and if I had time to spare I would squeeze off a few frames as the train was comeing to a stop in the yard or on the sidiing. If your out in the northwest part of BNSF's territory you can find both long haul private carriers and company vans as well as yard drivers that may be willing to shoot some shots for you. But you wont be allowed to ride in the van's for the very same issues discussed in other messages.

-greg formerly from Seattle-