Railfans deserve to have the same amount of rights as other individuals

What I mean is when I go railfanning at some places, I see freeloaders and thugs tresspassing on railroad property and in the streets. Nobody says anything not even the police!!! What's even more bizzare is that when I go railfanning, police thinks that I'm suspicious. This happened to me once. I dress like a fellow middle-class person and very nice to people and railroad employees but I don't understand what the problem is . So us "good" railfans deserve the same amount(or a greater amount) of rights as trespassers.

Heck, railfans deserve to have more rights than other individuals!

Just a thought, what if railroads could issue "railfan licenses" (for a small fee of course, probably about the same cost as fishing license here in US) that would not let you trespass on the railroad, but but could be shown to railroad employees if they asked you what you were doing.That way there would be a clear-cut line of who could and could not be wandering around near the line. Also license holders would need to let the railroad know if the were railfanning and where,so they would know who was hanging around if there was a dangerous incident of some kind.

You're right transitguard
Maybe Obama wil signed a "Hobbyist Rights"

some railroads require you to obtain media passes before railfaning. already... I think NJT was one that did this for a while (unsure if they still do).

Police do go after people trespassing. I think more often we see it as they get let by; probably because we fall into a higher risk area as "potential terrorists" where as they are just trespassing. I've personally seen NS cops set up just behind the trees at a local favorite shortcut across the tracks here and ticket people for trespassing.

peter

There is an extensive thread about this subject in this Forum about 5 pages back - "Am I a rail photographer or a terrorist"?

Ben

diesel9 said:

You're right transitguard
Maybe Obama wil signed a "Hobbyist Rights"

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Insurance included?
We'd best not talk about him...that is against the rules anyway.

I heard a while back that Metra was giving people a hard time lately too.
I agree with you on this, it is simply outragous.
I see kids crossing tracks with bicycles, not on crossing right in front of trains, and no one says anything.
However when you railfan, they give us a hard time.
But that is life.
Life is hard, I here that from folks...life is hard for everyone.
Thankfully BNSF considers railfans good assets.
Canadian National/Illinois Central is very good with fans in Illinois, everywhere I go on that line, I recieved friendly waves from the crew and MOW crews, even the business train folks are nice.

Is it the railroad or the police, police often have to take extra measures when it is a larger town, everybody is a potential criminal.
But, that is alright too.


Cheers,
Woody

aardvark1 said:

The only four rights that are absolute, unalienable rights...​

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I have that down to one right; The right to self defense of person and property, personal and intellectual. It is an inherent right derived form the fact of your life itself, and it is inherent in all life. Any species that loses the capacity for self defense will inevitably become extinct. Any society that willingly forsakes the capacity deserves to.
All freedoms descend from that right and are only limited in as much as they conflict with another individuals right of self defense.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are corollaries of the right of self defense, as expressions of the necessary condition of self determination.
How's that for concise?

The railroad has the right to protect their property from those who would damage it or interfere with proper operations. It is important that we demonstrate that we are not a hindrance.

Claude

As has been said, there is already another thread on this topic. Please use the existing thread.