is it legal to dig a bottle dump along side of a railroad track???

[bottledigger101]

i was doing some insulator hunting along side of a railroad track and stumbled along a nice sized bottle dump down the hill on the one side of the tracks and grabbed as many of the good surface bottles that i could find but didn't want to dig it until i found out weather it was legal or not.?. these are the bottles i picked up off the surface of the dump....

 

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[canadiandigger]

damn idk but tbh by the looks of those nice surface bottles i would dig it weather it was legal or not lol... cause if i didnt i would die wondering what is burried.

 

[gerryk]

I dnt remember off hand but 50 foot either side of centerline sticks in my mind as being rr property. I know here in illinois it is considered trespassing and they do not allow hunting there. I would check your local laws before trespassing.

 

[epackage]

Not sure about up in America's Hat, but since 9/11 anything done near the tracks has been handled very seriously, down here you're taking a real chance of wearing matching bracelets...

 

[MrSchulz]

America is 50 feet. I've insulator hunted a old railroad dump, had no issues. The dump im digging now is 100 feet from a railroad, and was used as a town/railroad dump. My jeep is parked off the road on the old driveway, been checked by the boys in blue but had no issues. I would dig it. Worse case scenario you get booted of, just dont go stand on the tracks or throw things at trains. Use common sense and you should be good. After all, if you get stopped just offer the person some cool bottles, or say your donating some (if you are) to the local historical society.

 

[maipenrai]

Probably also depends on how much you are "excavating", and any perceived danger to the tracks. Also, if it doesnt belong to the RR, then it belongs to someone else.

 

[bottlehunterofcoscob]

Probably also depends on how much you are "excavating", and any perceived danger to the tracks. Also, if it doesnt belong to the RR, then it belongs to someone else.

If it doesn't belong to the RR, then it belongs to someone else. Hmmmm... let me think about that one.

 

[bottledigger101]

i own the property that backs up onto the railroad. but the dump is not on my property. im thinking about digging it soon i cant at the moment because we just got a pile of snow but when it melts i probably will.

 

[Peyton Manning]

America is 50 feet. I've insulator hunted a old railroad dump, had no issues. The dump im digging now is 100 feet from a railroad, and was used as a town/railroad dump. My jeep is parked off the road on the old driveway, been checked by the boys in blue but had no issues. I would dig it. Worse case scenario you get booted of, just dont go stand on the tracks or throw things at trains. Use common sense and you should be good. After all, if you get stopped just offer the person some cool bottles, or say your donating some (if you are) to the local historical society.

you have my ok. added to above ; don't lay on tracks or pee toward trains

 

[Minrelica]

I don't think anyone cares to be honest with you.. They are yours now.

 

[YoungBlood]

In WV where I live no one really cares about doing anything near the railroad tracks

 

[nsdq]

cool finds,,,i see the small blue jar is vick jar

 

[surf]

Hey bottledigger,

Lemme share a cautionary tale with you guys. That 50 feet from centerline Right-of-way is in effect in Canada, as well.

A couple years ago on a sweltering summer day, I thought I'd revisit a dump I'd dug a bit years before. This dump had never produced much in the way of good bottles. It was early 20th Century for the most part. But I was jonesing for a dig. I should note that this spot was in a particularly ugly part of the Hood.

On past visits, I'd accessed the site by entering through an old industrial property. This time they'd put up a gate, and it was no entrar. Okay, I'd just park up the street by the RR Crossing, and walk up the tracks to the hole in the fence, and go in that way.

It was only about half a mile from the crossing. This was down a hill from a residential area, adjacent to a lot of rusty old industrial sites. There had to be older stuff there. The homes on the hill were late 19th Century.

The Railroad had been doing some maintenance along this part of the line. I could see they'd replaced some ties and graded an area and put down that crushed stone. I walked on by, cut through the fence and returned to the old dump area.

I was happily throwing dirt, and scratching away when my phone rang. It was #2 daughter calling. I ignored the call, as I had been there less than half an hour and wanted to get to the glass. She called right back. I had to go pick up some stuff from the grocery...

Fiddlesticks! Things were just starting to look interesting, too. I'd just scratched out the bottom half of a Christmas Coke. "Okay, okay," I said. When does she need it? "Like, now..." I scratched a bit more, and grabbed my shovel, clam rake & bag and walked back out. As I approached the crossing, I could see a blacked out Crown-Vic parked in the driveway of a business directly across the crossing. I walked out, began to cross the tracks, nodded at the Crown-Vic as i was walking across the tracks...

He pulled out suddenly, blocking the street, and got out of the car with gun drawn. He started yelling at me to drop my stuff, and get on the ground. I couldn't believe it, and said, "What?"

Again, he ordered me to drop my stuff, back up and get on the ground. I dropped my stuff, backed up, and slowly took a knee, and was getting down, slowly.

I'm an old guy, and have a messed up back. I wasn't fast enough and was getting down when he assisted me by pushing my head into the dirt, and putting a knee on my back. He grabbed my arm, and had his other knee across my calves. He crunched on a hand cuff, on my left wrist, right to the bone. Right cuff is nice and loose.

He grabs my bag, and tells me to get up. I'm not moving fast enough for him. He gives my arm a yank and I get up slowly. My hat and glasses are stlll in the weeds. I tell him I've got a bad back, and ask if I could have my glasses. He ignores me.

He takes me to the Crown-Vic and shoves me in the back seat. He dumps my bag on the trunk and is examining my finds & scratchers. He gets on the radio and calls someone. I cannot see his badge.

Pretty soon, up comes the Official Railroad Cop in a shiny Jeep Cherokee. He's a young guy, and he's putting on the blue latex gloves. They have a discussion and look at my stuff.

The guy that hooked me up comes over and wants to know who I am and what I was doing. I tell him. He goes away to talk to the RR cop.

Now he wants to know, will I tell him about "my partner in crime?"

"Who?" I say.

He says, "that guy over there, who waved at you."

"What?" said I.

"If I wanted to get a lot of evasive crap outta you," mumble, mumble, walk away...

He then came over and started fishing in my shirt pocket, and took my Starbucks card.

"Have you got any better ID, than this?"

"Yes," I say, "in my back pocket."

Now, he pulls me out, turns me around and takes my wallet out. Doesn't wanna hear about the cuff being too tight.

"Credit cards," he reads them, "We don't need these, won't take them from you," takes driver's license and puts my wallet in the back window well. Grabs clipboard, and goes to run my record with the young RR cop.

They now drive me over to my truck. They want permission to search it.

"Do I have any tools or weapons in my truck?"

"I've got plenty of tools, no weapons," sez I.

The young guy opens the back and side door, looks around and closes her back up. He got a good look at some lesser glass, and assorted shovels, probes, and scratchers. And bug spray.

I then got un-cuffed and got the lecture about trespassing. Thefts in the area. A serial killer & rapist traversing these same tracks...

Then we were "buddies" and they're telling me which company to go ask permission from. The young railroad cop is telling me about a country flea market where I can buy some bottles, "Fifty cents, a piece!"

The guy that took me down was a private cop. Security for the local businesses that weren't closed, and had seen my truck before.

I told them I was sorry to have troubled them, and that they won't be seeing me again...

My left hand was numb for two hours. And, I didn't get any good bottles...

 

[MrSchulz]

Hey bottledigger,

Lemme share a cautionary tale with you guys. That 50 feet from centerline Right-of-way is in effect in Canada, as well.

A couple years ago on a sweltering summer day, I thought I'd revisit a dump I'd dug a bit years before. This dump had never produced much in the way of good bottles. It was early 20th Century for the most part. But I was jonesing for a dig. I should note that this spot was in a particularly ugly part of the Hood.

On past visits, I'd accessed the site by entering through an old industrial property. This time they'd put up a gate, and it was no entrar. Okay, I'd just park up the street by the RR Crossing, and walk up the tracks to the hole in the fence, and go in that way.

It was only about half a mile from the crossing. This was down a hill from a residential area, adjacent to a lot of rusty old industrial sites. There had to be older stuff there. The homes on the hill were late 19th Century.

The Railroad had been doing some maintenance along this part of the line. I could see they'd replaced some ties and graded an area and put down that crushed stone. I walked on by, cut through the fence and returned to the old dump area.

I was happily throwing dirt, and scratching away when my phone rang. It was #2 daughter calling. I ignored the call, as I had been there less than half an hour and wanted to get to the glass. She called right back. I had to go pick up some stuff from the grocery...

Fiddlesticks! Things were just starting to look interesting, too. I'd just scratched out the bottom half of a Christmas Coke. "Okay, okay," I said. When does she need it? "Like, now..." I scratched a bit more, and grabbed my shovel, clam rake & bag and walked back out. As I approached the crossing, I could see a blacked out Crown-Vic parked in the driveway of a business directly across the crossing. I walked out, began to cross the tracks, nodded at the Crown-Vic as i was walking across the tracks...

He pulled out suddenly, blocking the street, and got out of the car with gun drawn. He started yelling at me to drop my stuff, and get on the ground. I couldn't believe it, and said, "What?"

Again, he ordered me to drop my stuff, back up and get on the ground. I dropped my stuff, backed up, and slowly took a knee, and was getting down, slowly.

I'm an old guy, and have a messed up back. I wasn't fast enough and was getting down when he assisted me by pushing my head into the dirt, and putting a knee on my back. He grabbed my arm, and had his other knee across my calves. He crunched on a hand cuff, on my left wrist, right to the bone. Right cuff is nice and loose.

He grabs my bag, and tells me to get up. I'm not moving fast enough for him. He gives my arm a yank and I get up slowly. My hat and glasses are stlll in the weeds. I tell him I've got a bad back, and ask if I could have my glasses. He ignores me.

He takes me to the Crown-Vic and shoves me in the back seat. He dumps my bag on the trunk and is examining my finds & scratchers. He gets on the radio and calls someone. I cannot see his badge.

Pretty soon, up comes the Official Railroad Cop in a shiny Jeep Cherokee. He's a young guy, and he's putting on the blue latex gloves. They have a discussion and look at my stuff.

The guy that hooked me up comes over and wants to know who I am and what I was doing. I tell him. He goes away to talk to the RR cop.

Now he wants to know, will I tell him about "my partner in crime?"

"Who?" I say.

He says, "that guy over there, who waved at you."

"What?" said I.

"If I wanted to get a lot of evasive crap outta you," mumble, mumble, walk away...

He then came over and started fishing in my shirt pocket, and took my Starbucks card.

"Have you got any better ID, than this?"

"Yes," I say, "in my back pocket."

Now, he pulls me out, turns me around and takes my wallet out. Doesn't wanna hear about the cuff being too tight.

"Credit cards," he reads them, "We don't need these, won't take them from you," takes driver's license and puts my wallet in the back window well. Grabs clipboard, and goes to run my record with the young RR cop.

They now drive me over to my truck. They want permission to search it.

"Do I have any tools or weapons in my truck?"

"I've got plenty of tools, no weapons," sez I.

The young guy opens the back and side door, looks around and closes her back up. He got a good look at some lesser glass, and assorted shovels, probes, and scratchers. And bug spray.

I then got un-cuffed and got the lecture about trespassing. Thefts in the area. A serial killer & rapist traversing these same tracks...

Then we were "buddies" and they're telling me which company to go ask permission from. The young railroad cop is telling me about a country flea market where I can buy some bottles, "Fifty cents, a piece!"

The guy that took me down was a private cop. Security for the local businesses that weren't closed, and had seen my truck before.

I told them I was sorry to have troubled them, and that they won't be seeing me again...

My left hand was numb for two hours. And, I didn't get any good bottles...

Sorry to say but that wouldn't stop me from going back. I would have to be charged before I would stop going back. Try my tips above. Obviously the cop overreacted.

 

[gerryk]

I would call it over reaction too. Besides he over stepped his boundaries. He is a private cop and only has powers on the property he is hired to police. You could have brough charges of unlawful restraint and other things against him. At may be what they were talking about and why ey became buddy buddy with you. S many prive cops or security over step their boundaries and end up in trouble.

 

[surf]

Sorry to say but that wouldn't stop me from going back. I would have to be charged before I would stop going back. Try my tips above. Obviously the cop overreacted.

Uh, MrSchultz,

I'd be pleased to direct you to the site, and make an introduction to the rent-a-cop. He doesn't want any bottles, and could care less about who donated what to whom.

He's a straight up, sadistic SOB with a badge, and still patrolling the area.

I was clearly trespassing. Caught in the act. This is not a good platform from which to negotiate, nor litigate.

The temporary souvenirs I took home were enough for me.

 

[MrSchulz]

Uh, MrSchultz,

I'd be pleased to direct you to the site, and make an introduction to the rent-a-cop. He doesn't want any bottles, and could care less about who donated what to whom.

He's a straight up, sadistic SOB with a badge, and still patrolling the area.

I was clearly trespassing. Caught in the act. This is not a good platform from which to negotiate, nor litigate.

The temporary souvenirs I took home were enough for me.

Again,
Still wouldn't stop me.... I look at it as part of the hobby. If you loose history, than people like that will win.

 

[stefen]

A little research into the laws pertaining to Railroad Right-Of-Ways resulted in numerous answers to the concerns of this ROW Topic string.

First, the Right-Of-Ways vary in width depending where they are constructed. Nothing is chiseled in stone so the standards vary.

Today, most Right-Of-Ways are legal land parcels (or easements) and few are held in fee title by the railroad. Again, a government (County, State, Federal) are the actual property owners in the majority of instances.

Additionally, in accordance to Federal Law, it is ILLEGAL to trespass on the Right-Of-Ways, and any crossings are the problem of the local municipality or state if its a state road.

Most railroads are covered under Federal Law because it is Interstate Commerce.

Today, with threat assessments to the safety of the U.S. soil, other government agencies are likely to get into the National Security aspects.

So without shooting me as the messenger of good tidings, if anyone is arrested by the Feds, as opposed to local or state police, you are typically held without bail until the arrangment. The feds work on different set of standards...

Oh, and you serve the full sentence without time off for good behavior.

So that being said, the choices are up to each individual...