Railroad land

[qwerksc]

Hey all,
First post, couple of questions.
Prospecting or detecting on railroad property, is this a form of trespassing?
Next, inactive claims, if you are out field sampling, find gold, nobody knows yer there, do you proceed
with filing a claim or do you just keep quiet and return at will?
I've enjoyed all the researching on this site, figured time to sign.
Been huntin' treasure since I was a little kid. never stoppin'
Always was interested in huntin gold. Finally started.
Got a lot of good gold country with permission, some is just close to the RR and it looks inviting.
Anything worth anything is worth workin yer can off for.
Thanks

 

[Bum Luck]

I'm a land surveyor and work with railroad lands a lot.

First, 'railroad land' is usually an easement across the adjoining land owner's property, not ownership.

But, the railroad easement is a very powerful one, almost an exclusive use easement. And that use excludes the casual public through a series of laws, in this state railroad trespass laws that make it a crime to be on the right of way at all. Some companies have their own police with arrest powers bestowed by state statute.

Obviously, it is a potentially dangerous place. Trains now tend to be much faster, are quieter, and take a long time to stop, well after they can see and react to someone on the tracks and an emergency stop is bad for them for a lot of reasons.

Next, as a person that's spent some time along those tracks looking for property irons, there's a lot of junk out there. The rule seems to be that during maintenance activities, old spikes, ties, tie irons, sleepers, beer cans, and an almost endless and amazing variety of junk has been discarded along the right of way making any attempt at detecting miserable, in my experience at least.

For a sum total of actual 'goodies', I've found one rusty padlock, but I have to say I've not looked specifically for stuff.

Another thing you may consider past the obvious danger and chance of arrest is the railroad's long practice of using 'hopper toilets', which means that the toilet flushes directly onto the tracks. While I understand that that design is being phased out in new cars, it may still be widespread.

All in all, there are a lot of other places to detect that I can think of that are more appealing.

 

[Darshevo]

Here in Washington state I have been told that from 20' out each way from the center of track is considered right of way, Even if its 20' total (meaning 10' each way off the centerline of the track) on the BNSF lines through town you will be arrested and prosecuted for trespassing. They have their own police force and they carry guns (not your typical rent-a-cop). UP has no trespassing signs up on their lines as well, but I have never seen a UP police officer.

For years I have used the rail lines as strait shots to get where I want to be when I am out on my mt bike. I stay a very respectable distance from the tracks and have myself never had any problem, not an endorsement, just an observation

-Lance

 

[Hoser John]

In kalif SP has the law at 50' from the outside rail and the RR cops enforce it religiously and speaking from experience 7 years ago it was a $362 fine in shasta kalif. The railroad OWNS every other section and easements as given to them by the federal government during the 1800's rail building days,been thats a way for over a 100 years. Crockers,Huffington,Rockerfellers and the billionaires club invented that scam and took away our public lands for FREE. Political corruption is a american tradition ingrained through these outrageous acts throughout our checkered history--John

 

[qwerksc]

When looking at this rr land on a topo, like Hoser says the rr owns every other piece of land, Kinda like a checker board. I've never seen anyone on it or patrolling. Not saying they dont, This land is rugged terrain not fit for human travel. It also has access to a few inactive claims. If yer part mt goat.

 

[charlotte49er]

I have spent 30+ years as a railroad photographer. In all my years of sitting trackside waiting for trains, I have only been hassled once. That was by a BN RR police. He wanted to take my friend and I in. (Fortunately, we had stopped by and signed a liability waiver in the morning to be on RR property.) We were all over the yard, as was our practice. Only later in the afternoon did we run into this guy. He still wanted to run us in even with the waiver. However, just about then, the BN Freight roared through. We got out shots and we packed up while he was trying to tell us that we needed to come with him. We ignorged him and left. Most railroads won't both you, if you are away from the yard and just out in the wide open spaces. (In fact, many engineers will blow the horns and waive!)

A couple of years ago I was parked at a dead end road that had Norfolk Southern tracks right in front of me. There was a huge "NORFOLK SOUTHERN - NO TRESSPASSING ON RAILROAD PROPERTY" sign on the barracade. I was parked in my van and I looked in the rear view mirror and who had pulled up behind me. A Char-Meck (Charlotte/Mecklenburg) Police officer! I couldn't very well say, "No officer, I didn't see that sign." He walked up to my driver's side window and I told him, "I know I'm tresspassing. I'm a railroad photographer." I handed him my business card and showed him my Nikon.
Maybe he's just going to tell me to get out of here. He pulled off his dark sunglasses and told me. "No problem. I just wanted to warn you that there is alot of drug activity around here. If you see some guys approach your van. You have my permission to run them over! And if they get up, run them over again!" LOL

About that time I heard the train blow for the crossing, turned on my motor drive and reeled off 1/2 roll of film. Then we left.

But, I was the guy who wanted the railroad stuff. Spikes, locks, date nails, I used to carry my metal detector for those items. It's different today. RR's are much more security concious. USUALLY they will only bother you in the yards. (Other than the BN cop many years ago.)

Depending on what you are looking for, short lines, industrials or abandoned lines are good places to hunt. Short lines typically will only run once or twice a day each way. (Sometimes only once or twice a week.) Industrial lines are usually only Monday-Friday, and abandoned lines never. (But they still may belong to the Railroad.)

 

[2cmorau]

i used to hunt pheasant in Davis along the tracks, but that was a while ago never was bothered
but i guess it depends on what your doin?

 

[homefires]

Not only is it trespassing but could be a Jail able Offence.

They have more powers then they should.

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/appndxa/penalco/penco369g.htm

 

[Goodyguy]

Seems the GPAA has acquired many new claims from the railroads.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,421804.msg3007453.html#msg3007453

 

[Hoser John]

OLD DAYS,not current owners,railroad gives nobody nuttn',never ,ever,just hassles and bs--John

 

[russau]

and them friggin railroad dicks have very hard clubs to knock the beans out of you if they catch you! beleive me on this! they dont like to f**k around!

 

[Goodyguy]

and them friggin railroad dicks have very hard clubs to knock the beans out of you if they catch you! beleive me on this! they dont like to f**k around!

Yep Them dicks can get mighty hard on ya

 

[Hoser John]

hopefully

 

[minerjoe]

johnny i know if you're on any thread i'll get a good laugh! Ha ha I've been a railroad engineer for 14 years and unless you wear a turbine we dont give a crap. There's only 5 cops that patrol the whole northern ca and nevada. Thats it! Dont be like the idiot that got his atv stuck on the tracks the other day in front of us. Usually we cant stop but i did this time then gave the guy a asschewin! The trick is go under the radar but most of the good gold spots went to patented claims. As for foamers, we dont ever mess with them becase they are an asset to us keeping the turbins away! My cousin is one of you famous foamer dudes! last name of Brown.