Are they that strict on the train tracks?

does the rail road really pay that much attention to the tracks? Just wondering, is it worth the roll of the dice

Just don't ride across the trestle if they catch you it is Felony trespassing.The Railroad use to post warning flyers at the Wagon Wheel if you get caught it maybe your last ride is what they would say.They usually would show up on the big Holiday weekends and post the flyers.

Go for it!!! They can only catch you if you let them.

I just don't see the harm in it. It's pritty much common sence. See or hear big train don't go.

dezs1775 wrote:

I just don't see the harm in it. It's pritty much common sence. See or hear big train don't go.

I don't know of anybody thats been caught.....

I have heard several stories of people getting a 5000 dollar fine and they lose their machine

I work for NS and yes they are that serious. Safety is their biggest thing for everyone not just the employees.

If you are waiting to hear the train it's too late. You really can not hear a train as clear as expected. If I have to cross tracks I get it done with -- cross perpendicular and don't play around. A train can sneak up on you faster than you would guess. 50mph = 74 ft per second. How far can you see is the question to consider.

Sorry to be slow on the uptake, or to have potentially missed it on another thread, but what is the actual issue here? Is it simply crossing a railroad track (like on an outlaw trail or something) or is the issue actually riding on or next to railroad track? I can see the railroad companies getting upset about the latter, but if simply crossing a track is a problem, I'd like to know. Thanks.

Well, I've seen the pis and videos on u tube, and it looks cool, well it may just be a one way trip across. I'm sure there are trails around them.

Below are pictures of the trestles being discussed. As you can see, you fall you die. I have ridden them in the past but will never do it again. There are trails below them that you can ride. The last time I rode them was a few months ago and as Randy said you cannot see or hear a train coming. We were in the tunnel between two of the trestles when all the sudden here came a train. 30 seconds later we would have been on the trestle when the train came by, I don't even want to think about that. We always talk about safety after an accident and we say how stupid they were. Riding the trestles is "stupid" waiting to happen.

I have also heard of the fines and confiscations. They supposedly have guards on ATV's. They only have to catch one and hang him over the trestle to get the other names.

I think crossing is ok if it's quick. If your riding like he said down the rail road, then they are going to be after you. That's what they don't want. I'm sure they would prefere u cross as a crossing and not a random spot to keep your rear tires from tearing up the rocks

BobT wrote:

Below are pictures of the trestles being discussed. As you can see, you fall you die. I have ridden them in the past but will never do it again. There are trails below them that you can ride. The last time I rode them was a few months ago and as Randy said you cannot see or hear a train coming. We were in the tunnel between two of the trestles when all the sudden here came a train. 30 seconds later we would have been on the trestle when the train came by, I don't even want to think about that. We always talk about safety after an accident and we say how stupid they were. Riding the trestles is "stupid" waiting to happen.

I have also heard of the fines and confiscations. They supposedly have guards on ATV's. They only have to catch one and hang him over the trestle to get the other names.

As you can see, you fall you die. i'm with you BobT------i want nothing to do with it.

they got some at those pic ya showed 3yrs. ago on memorial day weekend they were in the woods hiding they took their 4 wheelers they said

The crazy thing to me is that they took the tracks up and left a nice pretty spare tressle to tempt ATV's. All they had to do was block the entrance and exit of the tressle and the ATV's would stay off. The tressle has nice RR ties on the sides to make it feel safer. The Railroads say stay off but they do nothing to make it less tempting. I see the tressle with no tracks as being less scary then some legit trails on Colorado or Utah.



I would not ride on it but I'm just saying....

TBONE21 wrote:

I think crossing is ok if it's quick. If your riding like he said down the rail road, then they are going to be after you. That's what they don't want. I'm sure they would prefere u cross as a crossing and not a random spot to keep your rear tires from tearing up the rocks

Thanks for the clarification, T-Bone.

BobT wrote:

Below are pictures of the trestles being discussed. As you can see, you fall you die. I have ridden them in the past but will never do it again. There are trails below them that you can ride. The last time I rode them was a few months ago and as Randy said you cannot see or hear a train coming. We were in the tunnel between two of the trestles when all the sudden here came a train. 30 seconds later we would have been on the trestle when the train came by, I don't even want to think about that. We always talk about safety after an accident and we say how stupid they were. Riding the trestles is "stupid" waiting to happen.

I have also heard of the fines and confiscations. They supposedly have guards on ATV's. They only have to catch one and hang him over the trestle to get the other names.

First off....I want everyone to know that when they hung me off the trestle.....all they got out of me was spare change......

Just curious what kind of authority the RR police have. Does it begin and end on their property, or do they have the legal authority to come to your home and prosecute you. I don't know if they would wanna try to take my machine, I may be more trouble than I'm worth.

Thunter wrote:

Just curious what kind of authority the RR police have. Does it begin and end on their property, or do they have the legal authority to come to your home and prosecute you. I don't know if they would wanna try to take my machine, I may be more trouble than I'm worth.

I think it would have to go thru the court system....after all....this is America....the courts and lawyers have to make their money....

I don't see how they can do much more than hold you until the police show up. I mean they are not anything more than police hired by a big business. I may be wrong about that though, maybe they have some authority that was granted by the goverment. Who knows!!

The Rail Road has more authority than the police believe it or not. The rail road is a very powerful authority!

from Wikipedia,


Jurisdiction and authoritySome railroad police officers are certified law enforcement officers and may carry full police and arrest powers. The appointment, commissioning and regulation of railroad police under Section 1704 of the U.S. Crime Control Act of 1990, provides that: "A railroad police officer who is certified or commissioned as a police officer under the laws of any one state shall, in accordance with the regulations issued by the U. S. Secretary of Transportation, be authorized to enforce the laws of any other state in which the rail carrier owns property."

It is important to note that Section 1704 also states that this police authority is to "the extent of the authority of a police officer certified or commissioned under the laws of that jurisdiction". While a railroad police officer may have general peace officer authority in some states such as California, they are limited to the railroad's property in other states.

The status of railroad police officers varies by state, in that they are commissioned by the Governor of the state in which they reside and/or work in and they may carry both state level arrest powers and some interstate arrest powers as allowed by 49 USC 28101. Although railroad police primarily enforce laws on or near the railroad right-of-way, their police officers can enforce other laws and make arrests off of railroad property depending on the state in which they are working.

Depending upon the state or jurisdiction, railroad police officers may be considered certified police officers, deputized peace officers, or company special agents. In Virginia, for example, any railroad may file an application with the Circuit Court of any county where it operates to allow the President of the railroad to appoint members of its own police force. If approved, the railroad's police officers have the equivalent authority of the State Police, and may act as law enforcement personnel anywhere in the Commonwealth.[9]

Some of the crimes railroad police investigate include trespassing on the right-of-way of a railroad, assaults against passengers, terrorism threats targeting the railroad, arson, tagging of graffiti on railroad rolling stock or buildings, signal vandalism, pickpocketing, ticket fraud, robbery and theft of personal belongings, baggage or freight. Other incidents railroad police investigate include derailments, train/vehicle collisions, vehicle accidents on the right of way, and hazardous materials releases.

Rayray, i high lighted the area that i thought you should be concern with.

Railroad police agencies
An Amtrak Police SUVAmtrak Police
BART Police
BNSF Police Department
Boston and Maine Railroad Police Department (subsidiary of Pan Am Railways; also covers ex-Maine Central territory owned by PAR)
Canadian Pacific Railway Police Service
CN Police Service
CSX Police Department
Metra Police Department
Metro Transit Police
MTA Police
New Jersey Transit Police Department
Norfolk Southern Railway Police Department
Union Pacific Police Department

WOW, so do they get a pistol or a flashlight? Lol!! With all the cut backs I'm surprised they just don't get tsa to work the area!! Well, I'll be up there soon, and the guys I ride with , well they still work for our uncle.

if they catch you on or with in 60 foot of the tracks here they impound your atv or sxs and fine you !!!! they have done to alot of people !!!! i know they alomost caught me !!!! and i live here and have rode them my whole life.they are working on the tracks up here now and they are really watching them all the time now !!!!

wvprowler wrote:

if they catch you on or with in 60 foot of the tracks here they impound your atv or sxs and fine you !!!! they have done to alot of people !!!! i know they alomost caught me !!!! and i live here and have rode them my whole life.they are working on the tracks up here now and they are really watching them all the time now !!!!

thanks for the info....I ride the trails under them and never ride across the trestle.....

even if you are riding down beside them they will still do it they say they have a 60 ft right away from the tracks !!!!!

They won't catch me. I drive a Can Am!