Encounters With Others At Railroad Crossings

[UPking]

Share stories about encounters with other people, police, or railroad workers at Crossings wether it be a positive encounter (person is friendly) or a negative encounter (person was a prick).

[UnionPacific4Life]

Well, a couple times I've been standing by the tracks, waiting for a train, and some lady will pull up and ask if I'm lost or waiting on someone.

[ColeD]

I've wondered about what would happen if I was to take pictures or videos at railroad crossings. I could try crossings though where there's less traffic or nobody would be around.

[freebrickproductions]

I've wondered about what would happen if I was to take pictures or videos at railroad crossings. I could try crossings though where there's less traffic or nobody would be around.

I can honestly say I've been at busy as hell crossings and no-one's really bothered me. Occasionally, the cops would pull up and ask what I'm doing, but I'd say 9 times out of 10, people will leave you alone.

[TheSignalMan2000]

I've wondered about what would happen if I was to take pictures or videos at railroad crossings. I could try crossings though where there's less traffic or nobody would be around.

I can honestly say I've been at busy as hell crossings and no-one's really bothered me. Occasionally, the cops would pull up and ask what I'm doing, but I'd say 9 times out of 10, people will leave you alone.

Usually, you'll be left alone when taking photos because there isn't really a law preventing you to take photos and/or videos (unless there's a sign stating that photography is prohibited, which I haven't seen). But in context, I seen some rail lines that does have a "No Trespassing" sign, but that is like further from the crossing (like 25 feet or more from the crossing). So, if you do get in trouble for doing this hobby, it'll mostly be trespassing in the no trespassing areas, and not taking the photos/videos.

Another thing is the parking (mostly if you have a vehicle), most of the time near crossings, they would be public parking lots, those you'll be fine with (as long your parking doesn't interfere with the business), but some places has private parking lots (a.k.a. Tow Away Zones), those are the lots that you would get in trouble with the police and/or business owners.


But the other thing is mostly when you're finding crossings is the location of where it's at, like in open rural areas, you might encounter a whole lot less people, but in much heavier populated areas, you might encounter some people.

In fact, at the end of a couple of my videos on Youtube, I had some people asking me on what I was doing, most of them happen after I ended the recording, but a couple of those happened just before I ended the recording.

Plus also to put in, it also really depends on where you take pictures or videos at, because in touristy areas, you might get a lot less people question what you're doing, regardless of the amount of people than less touristy areas, like for an example, places in New Orleans I've taken photos/videos at, places like the Riverwalk (located in Downtown New Orleans) is a high tourist hotspot, and it has a ton of pedestrian crossings, and when I took photos of those crossings, I haven't had anyone question me what I was doing because a lot of people takes photos of the area and others didn't really much care about the people taking photos. But in less touristy areas in New Orleans, some questioned on what I was doing.

[chris96]

TBH, as a whole, I really haven't had too many encounters while at crossings. However, the few that I have were very...memorable to say the least. Note: These stories do contain somewhat serious topics.

I was accused of being a potential terrorist when a police officer spotted me taking pictures of the former Kororoit Creek Road level crossing in Altona during its removal. Apparently, since the crossing was located next to an oil refinery, it was considered a "high threat zone". After talking to the officer for a while and explaining what I was really up to, it became clear that I was not a threat and was allowed to continue documenting the crossing in piece. Never would I have imagined that simply taking pictures of a crossing could be seen as an act of terrorism.

The other incident happened while waiting to film a train at Peak School Rd in Little River. For those who don't know, this rural crossing is located on a small gravel road which sees very low traffic. I was standing near the tracks (not too close of course) to see if a train was approaching when a truck drove past me. I thought nothing of it, but then about five minuets later, I noticed that the same truck was once again approaching the crossing from the opposite direction. It drove up very slowly and parked on the side of the road where I was standing. The driver got out and began walking towards me while asking what I was doing and telling me not to do anything silly. At this point I started to get nervous, as I had no idea what this guy wanted. Before I even had a chance to respond, he continued asking me "are you okay, is everything alright"? To cut a long story short, it turned out that he believed I was attempting to "end it all" and came back to try and talk me out of it. He was actually a really nice guy and it felt very reassuring to know that there are people like that in the community who are looking out for others. I explained my situation and all was well.

So those are the two major encounters I've experienced at crossings. I've also had a couple of motorists yell random things at me as they drove past, but most crossing visits are pretty uneventful.

[PlyingKibbles89]

Some encounters I've had with others (good and bad)

1: E Street, Encinitas, CA
I was getting pictures while there was a signal maintainer there, replacing the US&S e-bell. He let me keep it!

2: Several times around Westminster, CO
People will stop and ask what I'm doing. They never really get why I film trains.

3: Wadsworth Blvd. Westminster, CO
I was waiting for a train and there was a signal maintainer there. He understood what I was doing and even showed me the inside of the relay case.

4: Also Wadsworth Blvd.
I was waiting for a train, and apparently someone called 911 on me because they thought I was going to jump in front of a train. When the cops showed up, they understood.

5: Clayton Street, Brush, CO
While I was filming a train, there were a couple guys behind me talking and started talking to me. It messed up my video a little bit.
Another time was on 4th of July, I was filming a BNSF train, with fireworks in the background, and some drunk lady came up to me and started to annoy the hell out of me, then proceeded to run to the tracks. I swear she was at least a foot or two away from the moving train. Since that video was a fail, I didn't upload it. Also, when the train was pulling off the crossing, she did a Milleniumforce and ran after the train. I don't know how high she was.

[Nascar Fan007]

I've had some encounters that happened to me a few times I be out filming. Mostly ones that ruined/near ruined my video.

1: Vermont Ave. Independence, MO
So back in March before the stay at home orders came in, I filmed at Vermont Ave twice on the same day. In the morning I caught a stacktrain on the 2nd gen wch mechanical bell side, and another stacktrain came by, but I was on the 1st gen mechanical bell side. While I was filming the 2nd stacktrain, some tweaker came by and was harassing me nonstop. I had to move the camera a bit as the dude kept bothering me. Almost ruined that video.

2:Arlington Ave, Independence, MO
On the day my camera got broken, I was filming a westbound manifest then some guy in a white suv came by and constantly asked me what I was doing. After he went away and the train ended, a guy in a red truck parked his truck in the middle of the road and began harassing me, threatening to break my camera, as well as wanting to kill me all because I was filming trains (I'm not making it up, the guy was wanting to fight me and kill me). I retaliated and told him I was gonna report him to the cops if he ever lay a hand on me. Thankfully he got back in his truck and drove away only to purposely hit my car. Me and my friend got in the car and took off as fast as we could as he chased us for no reason.

3: Blue Mills Rd, Independence, MO
To keep the theme of Karens and idiots harassing me while I'm filming, this old lady in a red suv who waited for an eastbound on the River Sub to pass by, decided to harass me while I was packing up from filming. She went into full Karen mode as I parked the car off to the side of the road as best as I could since there was no way to park. Course she was really rude and like I said she was a typical Karen. Thankfully she didn't try to fight me like the idiot at Arlington Ave did, but still, got harassed all because I had my car (at the time a black chevy cruze) parked to the side of the road out of the way.

And that's all I can remember of the encounters I faced when filming trains in Independence.

[chris96]

2:Arlington Ave, Independence, MO
a guy in a red truck parked his truck in the middle of the road and began harassing me, threatening to break my camera, as well as wanting to kill me all because I was filming trains (I'm not making it up, the guy was wanting to fight me and kill me). I retaliated and told him I was gonna report him to the cops if he ever lay a hand on me. Thankfully he got back in his truck and drove away only to purposely hit my car. Me and my friend got in the car and took off as fast as we could as he chased us for no reason.

I don't get people like this. Why on earth would anybody threaten to murder and damage the property of some random person they've never met just because they were filming trains? What do they really have to gain from that (other than make themselves look like idiots)? I'm sorry you had to experience that. People can be real jerks sometimes.

[ColeD]

2:Arlington Ave, Independence, MO
a guy in a red truck parked his truck in the middle of the road and began harassing me, threatening to break my camera, as well as wanting to kill me all because I was filming trains (I'm not making it up, the guy was wanting to fight me and kill me). I retaliated and told him I was gonna report him to the cops if he ever lay a hand on me. Thankfully he got back in his truck and drove away only to purposely hit my car. Me and my friend got in the car and took off as fast as we could as he chased us for no reason.

I don't get people like this. Why on earth would anybody threaten to murder and damage the property of some random person they've never met just because they were filming trains? What do they really have to gain from that (other than make themselves look like idiots)? I'm sorry you had to experience that. People can be real jerks sometimes.

There are some crazy people out there. That's why I haven't tried taking pictures or videos at crossings, because you don't know who will happen to come by when you are there.