Plate C wrote:I'm going to throw in my 2 cents and offer a perspective here. To be clear, I am not talking wrong/right, nor am I advocating for anyone to trespass or otherwise break the law. I've done some extensive railfanning at points around the country and have found that the culture of any railfan area is always defined by the railroad operating at a given location, the people who live around that location, and the railfans that gather there. There are locations where the general public cuts through the yard or down the ROW and the railroad doesn't say anything. At others, RR PD is rolling up just as soon as your foot crosses the line. I've been to some locations in some bad areas where the crew appeared relieved to see a railfan instead of the neighborhood thugs in their area. Point is, when the railroad allows people from the neighborhood onto their property, it gives the appearance of this being acceptable behavior for others to do too, and that's usually what happens.+1
Over the past year at Bound Brook, I've seen numerous instances of bums, families, etc., crossing the tracks to get from point A to point B. Many others come down the ROW and private property between the freight and NJT lines. Granted I've never seen this occur as a train is coming on, but I've never seen any of these neighborhood locals stopped, harrassed, etc., and this gives the appearance that this is acceptable behavior there. The one exception I saw, I was sitting on the edge of the platform with my feet in the grass when a cop came up and asked if I had seen a guy wandering around the tracks- I assume CSX or NS called him in. It was obvious I was there railfanning, told the cop I hadn't seen the guy, and the cop left. Afterward, I did see the guy and realized it was a homeless guy picking around the tracks further up the line, and his hanging around there acting strangely is likely what got him called in.
For what it's worth, the first railfan that I saw off the platform at BB was an adult, and I've seen several that have gone over to the stack of ties or down the ROW between freight and NJT lines for a shot, and that is RR property. I've seen some do more than that but I'll leave that out. I've also heard some of the younger kids comment against crossing tracks, being close to the ROW, etc., so it's unfair to blame them as the "problem" if there is one. I have strayed from that platform before, waved to the crew as I took my shot, and got the wave back, which says to me that they're ok with where I'm standing. In the end, use common sense and demonstrate that you have basic knowledge of railroad safety and I don't think you'll be bothered.
Finally, for the people advocating to yell at the kids or call the PD, I disagree with both. Kids, much less anyone else, are not going to respond to you yelling at them, and may very well give you more than you bargained for in return. What you'll end up with is an uncomfortable situation of disgruntled people hanging around each other waiting for trains. Also along these lines, if you're not going to yell at the countless neighborhood people walking around off the platform (and I'm quite sure most reading this are not going to step up to that hulking homeless guy crossing over to tell him off) then you shouldn't say anything at all- be consistent.
Try to appreciate these younger kids, the railroad is forgotten and not respected or appreciated by the general public, so when a younger generation takes an interest we should embrace this. These kids, like everyone else, are trying to get that perfect shot. Trains Magazine does not run crappy photos shot into the sun, and the kids are modeling what they see in mags, online, etc.
As for the cops, calling the PD only draws attention from the local authorities to the railfans being there and invites harrassment and unwanted attention. If the RR is ok with it, it's their property and their call to make unless you're witnessing something suspicious or unusual. Again, I believe that people, regardless of age, exercising common sense and safety makes the difference.
Hard to argue with this.
