Question about Railroad tracks?

[FarmerChick]

In town there are some tracks that pass thru.....very accessible.

Is it worth taking my detector and just start walking the tracks? Hitting along the sides?


anyone do this? lol

I have no clue if it would be worth it? I mean the tracks are iron I would have to scan the sides I guess.

as you can see being new to detecting I just kinda don't know what areas to hit or might produce?

hmmm....just wondering?

 

[sniffer]

around here, when they do any work on the tracks, they drop a lot of steel things. now if you could find a old depot location you would at least have a chance of finding something. just along the tracks at random would be real tough to find much

 

[s.c.shooter]

You might want to check with the railway before you go. Most railroads have their own police departments and a lot of railway right of ways are off limits. They can charge one with tresspassing. Then again they might give you permission. Hope this helps. Hate to see someone get jammed up when they had no intentions of doing anything wrong.

 

[dogpound]

the only thing i find around tracks has been slag and ore. so far nothing good

 

[NHBandit]

Things are only going to be lost where there was human activity. Old railroad depots, repair shops, outbuildings, etc might be a good place to search. Just walking the tracks where there was no foot traffic will likely only frustrate you with the amounts of metal junk you'll be digging. One kinda cool relic you might find are date nails (nails made with the last 2 digits of the year cast into the head), but they aren't worth much. Although if the tracks have been there since before the Civil War it might get interesting.

 

[FarmerChick]

thanks ya'll for the info

that is kinda the feeling I had, just walking tracks with no other activity around would yeild me more trash than treasures....but I had to ask, cause ya never know lol

I will "find" that railroad depot around somewhere lol time to hit the books and see where an old depot might be etc.

thanks

 

[rginn]

Cool somebody else knew about date nails. (NHBandit) We used to walk the Rock Island Line in Oklahoma and see them, and take a few. Found a lot, mostly from the 30's. He's right, they aren't worth much, but people think they are, so you won't find many now. Same as the glass insulators on the lines along the tracks. Tracks are mostly still there, but the Rock Island doesn't run there any more.

 

[floodcitykid]

In town there are some tracks that pass thru.....very accessible.

Is it worth taking my detector and just start walking the tracks? Hitting along the sides?


anyone do this? lol

I have no clue if it would be worth it? I mean the tracks are iron I would have to scan the sides I guess.

as you can see being new to detecting I just kinda don't know what areas to hit or might produce?

hmmm....just wondering?

RR tracks are a great place to detect, near the tracks not one them. Remember , there is always a lot of activity near RR tracks, remember that most RR tracks are on the original place since they were made. During the Civil war, both sides guarded the tracks and in Virginia, the Union army found it ncessary to station a regiment every mile, a calvary vedette every half mile and picketts every quarter mile to protect the supply lines on the RR.

Don't forget the "Hobo jungles" in the 20's and 30 were near the tracks. Then of course those who built the RR had to camp nearby.

I even dig along a RR track made by the Japanese army in the Philippines and find lots of interesting stuff.

Do your research and good luck.

Flood city Kid

 

[Sandman]

Most railroads have many rules about treapassing on their right of way, but I never had no trouble walking the tracks. Like was said you have a better chance near the old depots and such. You need to do some research or just set out walking both sides. You will find many relics, spikes, dated nails and if lucky some old glass insulators. You just never know what you'll find and it is all fun. Better than cutting the dang grass again or house work.

 

[FarmerChick]

great info

I think maybe a leisurely stroll along these tracks will happen come spring when the weather is beautiful.....I know I truly won't know if any finds are there unless I give it a shot!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

NO. Have you been listening to what I have been telling you?

The tracks are fine, just not the edges. Wayy to much trash, And there are trains. BUT walking the tracks is good to locate sites. I know, I hunt near you. Remember, set your mind to a time when there was no motor vehicles. Remember, "water is life" our forefathers needed to be close to it. NOT all of it though. Don't forget there were floods in our past, you need to find high ground near water. Metal detecting is easy when you want to find modern metal, it's when you want to find the old stuff you need to hit the library. I hunt very close to where you are frustrated finding very little. You need to get right in those briers some times on your hands and knees. If finding treasure while metal detecting is your main focus, chances are you wont find it. It's when you go with a positive attitude, with the understanding any thing you find is just a bonus, the good stuff shows up.

Keep researching

 

[extractor]

[quote If finding treasure while metal detecting is your main focus, chances are you wont find it. It's when you go with a positive attitude, with the understanding any thing you find is just a bonus, the good stuff shows up.

Keep researching
[/quote]

Mike , I keep telling my Human MD buddys the same basic thing. Some how they haven't been able to let that philosphy sink in yet. All I keep hearing is, how did ya find that, cus I was just there? Wow whats that worth? Why should we hunt way over here. I really got ta find something today!!
The 2 main things are research a lot and to relax . The good stuff will show up

Farmer chick, Faroff to the sides where camps have been is where I'd look. Go low and slow to the ground.
A lot of the time I bring my Dog with me metal detecting. My best finds have been with my Dog as my hunting partner. I get to the site and let him lead the way around it. Crazy , Nope , It works for me.
HH Extractor

 

[coin finder]

HI,,, I Don't know were you live... But as far as I Know The Railroad Track are NOT- PUBLIC ! and may end up in Jail... But on the other hand they do give you food and a place to sleep !

 

[groundsmn]

not a good idea playing around live tracks.

 

[Mackaydon]

The image is frozen in my mind; a metal detectorist 'doing the rails' with his headset on.
Give me a break!! Do the grassy area just off the RxR station parking area; stay away from the tracks is my 'two cents'.
Don.......

 

[zerojinx]

Chances are you wont end up in jail if the RR police catch you. They'll just take down your info and tell you to get lost, and if they see you again then they'll probably cart you off to jail where you'll get a couple hundred dollar fine. Thats if your metal detecting. If your just walking down them, unless your in the RR yard itself, they wont care as long your not defacing or harming RR property.

Try looking for old bottles along the tracks, some are worth alot of money. Old RR depots are good to check out, as well as abandoned lines.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I've found many a nice glass insulator along the tracks, and even a couple of nice "Thomas Edison Electric Battery Oil" early bottles. But beware, as others have said, it's tresspassing. I did this when younger, and was interrogated once or twice.

 

[FarmerChick]

NO. Have you been listening to what I have been telling you?

The tracks are fine, just not the edges. Wayy to much trash, BUT walking the tracks is good to locate sites. I know, I hunt near you. Remember, set your mind to a time when there was no motor vehicles. Remember, "water is life" our forefathers needed to be close to it. NOT all of it though. Don't forget there were floods in our past, you need to find high ground near water. Metal detecting is easy when you want to find modern metal, it's when you want to find the old stuff you need to hit the library. I hunt very close to where you are frustrated finding very little. You need to get right in those briers some times on your hands and knees. If finding treasure while metal detecting is your main focus, chances are you wont find it. It's when you go with a positive attitude, with the understanding any thing you find is just a bonus, the good stuff shows up.

Keep researching

AH HA
you hunt very close to me! so it is you getting all the good stuff hahaha I knew someone was finding it!

yea I know I have to figure out the pattern of daily life back in the olden day....the old roads, the old picnic grounds and gathering places etc. I read on another site about researching old patterns and places and it was very interesting and is getting me thinking more and more on how to find a good hunt site.

I am trying to learn lol I will get it I think maybe, someday, lol

 

[FarmerChick]

the tracks I am talking about are dead tracks so no worry about a train sneaking up on me



good chat and thanks everyone for the input.....it all helps me learn where to find hunt sites etc

 

[ivan salis]

dead tracks while still owned by the RR company are less likely to have folks to bother you . ---of course DO NOT BOTHER THE RAIL LINES OR TAKE ANY SPIKES OR OTHER USIBLE RAIL ROAD "PROPERTY"

ON THE SIDE AREA==== 0ff the tracks --- CUT OFF OLD SWITCH LOCKS MIGHT BE FAIR GAME SINCE THEY ARE NO LONGER USEFUL and old telegraph glass insulators (no longer used) COULD BE FAIR GAME --- OF COURSE NEVER EVER REMOVE ANYTHING THAT IS USEFUL THAT THE RR COULD POSSIBLY REUSE ESPECIALLY RAILS OR SPIKES --BIG NO NO