So it’s been years but I’m planning on taking a ride up to Maine to take pics on the old BAR (now CMQ) between Searsport and Millinocket. I used to check in at Northern Maine Junction and they would have me sign a waiver and give me a copy to carry with me. I then could roam anywhere I pleased on the BAR railroad property as long as I stayed out of the way of active trains. This included driving my truck on the service roads and climbing in, on and around all rolling stock on the rip track etc. A few times I was given cab rides entertained by brakemen with gory accident stories and got a personal tour or the shops in Derby. I called the CMQ today to talk to Public relations but got bounced around the phone system and was unable to get a human. I will try again tomorrow. What are your present day experiences? Do yall contact the railroad before taking pics?
Ever since 9-11 MOST railroads now will NOT let you on their property because they tell me it is prohibited by Homeland Security. Some railroads (NS and UP) instruct their employees to report any trespassers they see and if they don’t, are reprimanded. Railfanning is a lot more difficult now than ever before.
That sounds amazing. I have not heard of a railroad allowing anyone on their property in the last 20 years. They just considerer it trespassing, and many take it very seriously.
I take a lot of railroad photos, but I never go on the property. Around here, I have researched property lines through tax maps, etc. so I know exactly where I can stand. I am personally actively unwelcome on Pan Am’s property but that’s a long story.
Eric Reuter said:
That sounds amazing. I have not heard of a railroad allowing anyone on their property in the last 20 years.
HaHa, It was late 90’s when it was still BAR. They were very friendly towards railfans. They even had a little museum and gift shop at NMJ. I have BAR playing cards!
So it’s been years but I’m planning on taking a ride up to Maine to take pics
Bet it’s at least 20 years. As Fred points out, since 9/11 there have been many extra security rules put in place. There was even a stink about taking photos from a public place (station platform) until the staff were ‘educated’ that they couldn’t stop people from doing it.
Up around this area I have seen fully uniformed and armed BNSF Police complete with marked BNSF Police SUV’s. They don’t need to call local law enforcement to haul you off for trespassing.
They have the power to do it themselves, just like the State Game Warden Service, State Patrol and Sheriff Office does.
Pete Thornton said:
So it’s been years but I’m planning on taking a ride up to Maine to take pics
Bet it’s at least 20 years. As Fred points out, since 9/11 there have been many extra security rules put in place. There was even a stink about taking photos from a public place (station platform) until the staff were ‘educated’ that they couldn’t stop people from doing it.
Yea, splain that to the Union Railroad thugs police.
Well, there’s always the possibility of using drones! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Yeah, the railroads LOVE drones flying over their trains! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)
As to security, when I took Amtrak from San Jose, CA to (and from) Portland, Or for the NGRC, the San Jose station, when leaving, had one noticeable security person in the station but when returning I did not notice any obvious ones. That’s when I had the best opportunity to go to the front of the train and took pictures of it. At the Portland station, they would not let people go out to the tracks from the station unless a train had arrived ready for boarding and had agents at the gates check people’s ticket - not the case in San Jose. So Amtrak and commuter railroads (prevalent at both stations) security seems to be haphazard and inconsistent.
-Ted
Greg Elmassian said:
Yeah, the railroads LOVE drones flying over their trains! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)
They may not like it, but if you are following FAA rules; taking off and landing from public property (or with permission from land owner) there isn’t much they can do about it legally. My son and BIL both have commercial drone licenses and have challenged, with success, private bans on over-flight of places like state park lands.
Of course, they can always shoot down your drone and use expensive lawyers to defend your lawsuit fro damages (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
That happened here, someone shot down a drone, that was hovering and “looking” into his teenage daughter’s bedroom window.
I haven’t heard the outcome of that case.
There’s a big problem with shooting down drones. It sounds great, and honestly I’m all for it in principle.
The problem is, What happens if you miss? The bullet has to land somewhere.
Last summer here in Colorado a guy was sitting with his family at a campground, sitting around the fire, and was against all odds hit and killed by a falling bullet from what had to have been a very very long way away. Family without a dad because somebody was shooting a gun off where they shouldn’t have been.
John, true. But if I remember correctly, this dude used a shotgun, at an eye level drone in his yard. Still dangerous, especially in the suburbs.
Never really had an issue myself and even got some horn action when no crossing is in site. Guess it’s back to respect …look but do not touch, touch but do not feel, feel but do not pick up that $10 stack of quarters you just put on stage at the strip club. It’s all about staying within the boundaries!
This post has been edited by: ROOSTER
Tanks…Rooster
Well guys, I went up this weekend and happy to report I had absolutely no issues with security. I was able to get many close-up pics for my modeling projects and even saw some switching by the Maine Northern at Brownville JCT on Sunday. No offers to ride but all railroad personnel I encountered gave me a friendly wave even when I was technically trespassing. Like Rooster, The engineer sounded the horn for me! Unfortunately, I was taking stills at the time.
I cannot believe this! I’ve always thought this bridge would make an interesting model so I wanted to be sure to get good pics of the construction. I couldn’t get good overall views as there is dense forest and steep slopes surrounding. Then I find out this Guy posted drone footage the day before I went!
wow, love the “hoops”, assume they were a later modification to allow taller cars, do you know when it was built?
I wonder if auto carrier and intermodal double stack cars will just clear those hoops?
-Ted