Encounters with Wildlife?

From the discussion about the two steamers in the woods in northern Maine, I thought this would be an interesting side discussion. Many of the great places to photograph trains in New England are in rural areas, and often times involve hikes away from main roads. I've heard from various posts over the years that people have occasionally seen moose and deer while photographing in places like Crawford Notch, or along the SL&A. This is probably a hazard that not to many rail fans factor in, but it seems like encounters with wildlife are something that anyone let alone rail-fan should be prepared for.

I'm curious if anyone on these forms has any stories to share, whether it was spotting a bear from inside a Conway Scenic train or waiting trackside for a train and seeing a moose walking down the tracks. I've been photographing northern New England for awhile now, and have not seen anything.

Moose encounters are common in Maine. At Seashore Trolley Museum I have sat in a PCC car about halfway out the line, watching a moose graze on the underbrush. The MG set in the PCC didn't faze her at all, nor did the 46 foot long orange foreign object. We watched for about 20 minutes until she wandered off into the woods. I have also seen a black bear cross in front of my car in Kennebunk Lower Village.

Saw two black squirrels just north of the Jericho Bridge on the Naugatuck RR Saturday. I have seen some more interesting animals over the past several years, including deer, foxes, and a coyote. Think moose and bear have also been observed by others.

Wow, I know moose are common all over Maine, but I didn't think there were that many bears on the southern coast.

Having spent many, many hours after dark chasing trains will usually lead to moose encounters sooner or later. The most frequent occurrences have been along the SLR, on Rt 2 at the ME/NH border, and on Rt 110 between Berlin & Groveton.
Also, see foxes, deer, bear, raccoons, geese, and of course, plenty of turkeys. Since getting a digital camera, haven't seen a single moose.

about 10 years ago i was at deering lumber in melrose ma, and a moose came down the haverhill line. they shot it with tranquilizers and put it on a flatbed.

You'd be surprised what we see rumbling down Mt. Washington. Moose, deer and bear are not uncommon, especially in the fall. Foxes have been known to run up the track between railing! and cog rack. They are usually in no hurry. I think they know how slow we are going!

This past railfans weekend on saturday, heading back thru the notch, listening to my scanner Mr. Hood told the crew," Moose is in the gauge." Ill see if i have any pics and post em.

Before the town of Hinsdale MA closed the road and removed the bridge on Bullard's Crossing Road, railfans on the bridge were fairly often treated to a bear crossing the double track west of the bridge to get to a pond. I have never heard about any bear getting nailed by a train there, so the bears must look both ways before crossing. In some quarters, bear intelligence has been described as being equal to that of the great apes.

Dick

This did not happen in New England and has little or nothing to do with railroading but while on the subject, I have had
experiences in New York State with black bear. During my working days it would take about 2 and 1/2 hours to drive from
Albany up to a hamlet in the Adirondacks named "Long Lake". You can find it on a decent New York map.
Just outside the business area is a landfill which is marked by a sign. In the summer months I would take a ride up into the
mountains on a day off from work and sometimes I ended up in Long Lake for a supper at a local eatery. After supper, I
would drive into the landfill where there would be other cars parked and an armed guard there also. I would get out of my
car and walk around although there were mosquitoes there sometimes and they could bite, believe me. First I would see a
black bear off in the area past the landfill but soon more would appear. I brought my video camera there a couple of times
and one evening when my mother was still alive she went up there with me and I did not tell her what to expect. Imagine
her reaction when the big black bears showed up on all sides of us. One of them actually walked right down through the
parking area among the people and between the cars and bothered nobody and nobody bothered him/her either.
I do not know if this location is still available for viewing these interesting creatures but if it is, I recommend it.
Fast forward to 2005 when I took a ride from the Albany area to the site of the former Catskill Mountain House which at one
time sat on a magnificant overlook over the entire Hudson River Valley with a superb view. The hotel closed at the
beginning of WW-II and never again reopened after that. Eventually the state acquired the property and the remains of
the hotel which by then were in hopeless ruins was burned one morning in the winter. The sight is accessible by a back
road out of Haines Falls to the North Lake area where you will have to park your car and walk maybe a half a mile up to
the site. The walking path is heavily used and is maintained in decent shape. After enjoying the view for a little while, I
walked back to my car to leave the area and as I was driving back to Haines Falls, a huge black bear crossed the road right
in front of me. He or she was in no hurry but I did not have my camera handy and totally did not expect to see something
like this.
Bears are at home in New York, New Jersey and all six New England States as well. I don't think they should be considered
a major problem as long as you do not molest or disturb them although a mother with cubs could become a problem. On my
trips to Long Lake I have seen cubs but I never saw any threatening gestures by any of the bears there, I think they were
well used to see people there and did not associate us with any harm.
Bears are well able to defend themselves and if they go after you it will be just about impossible to escape them unless you
are very close to your vehicle or a good solid building with a very solid door to block them.
If you are out railfaning or photographing in an area frequented by bears and don't want to encounter one a suggestion is to
keep talking with somebody whether they are with you or separate and if nobody is around make noise of some kind like
talking to yourself, rattling keys or something else to make noise. Also be very careful if you have food, bears have a
very keen sense of smell and if one comes along and wants a handout, give him your lunch, if you don't and he wants it, he
will get it from you anyway and the results may not be very pleasant.
Here in South Florida we also have bears as well as alligators but that is a different story.
Noel Weaver

During my years as a trainman on the Cape, we encountered many many creatures, from wild turkeys, Blue herons, Egrets, coyotes, deer and muskrats to a resident woodchuck who lived under the timbers of the old hyannis coal trestle. Also, for a time, when running through the Great Salt Marsh, a particularly territorial Osprey liked to dive-bomb the train. We could actually hear his talons graze the roof.
Also, while on the topic of bears on non-NE roads, I had the privelage to ride an Alaska Railroad GP-40 from Anchorage to Seward. While on that run, we had to stop for a HUUUUGE brown bear in the gauge. I asked the engine crew why we had to stop, and without missing a beat, the brakeman said I was more than welcome to try and get him off the tracks. I declined that offer .

I remember the bears at Bullard's Crossing, they used to come out like clockwork - probably still do. One time while hiking up the B&A between MP 129 and 130 without another soul around for miles, I heard a loud growl from the woods. Fortunately I never found out what it was, I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life! I made a loud retreat back to Chester with a big chunck of ballast in my hand!

Need to research this one more.

My wife had one or more great-uncles who grew up around Jefferson, NH and worked for the B&M, sometime between WWI and Korea. Apparently on at least one occasion they had their hunting rifle at work and stopped the train in order to kill a deer that they had seen by the row.

/I don't think that this occurred on the Watertown line.
//Roadkill in New England just doesn't compare to what you can see in FL.

Ask the WW&F guys about the "Killer Ducks of Hancock Maine."
(Then ask the DESR guys if they've had anyone lost to the duck!)

Wow, it's interesting to hear peoples stories about their experiences. While I have never seen any large animals while waiting for trains, I might have been closer than I thought at one point. I stopped in Wentworth, NH last summer to photograph the restored station. there were some old trucks parked across the road from the depot, and behind them was dense woods. While I was putting my camera away, I heard some rustling in the woods, and it seemed to be something moderately sized. Since the trucks were the only barrier between me and whatever it was I decided it might be best to make my exit, even though it could have been nothing more than a local dog.

Do trains on the SL&A or other Northern NE railroad often have collisions with moose? I heard in the wintertime, moose can often wander onto tracks, and present hazards to trains and themselves. I never seem to hear about anything, but I'd imagine they happen.