Walking railway lines

JJJJNR · 03-10-2015 10:26pm #1

I want to walk the tracks to take some photos, is it legal as it's a Sunday morning there's no trains running or are there still trains on the lines.

markpb · 03-10-2015 10:54pm

There could always be trains on the line: specials (gaa, private tours, restored antiques), freight, stock positioning, line maintenance, etc. It's never legal.

liam24 · 04-10-2015 12:25am

Do it anyway and ignore the ridiculous health and safety mania which has overtaken our society. When I was a child everybody used to walk the railways.

Victor · 04-10-2015 1:09am

About 10 trespassers per year are killed on the Irish Rail network. Some may have been suicidal and / or intoxicated, others were taking short-cuts. Don't add to the statistics.

If you want to take pictures of trains, there are plenty of places you can't do it without trespassing.

Victor · 04-10-2015 1:13am

Thread moved

Moderator

murphaph · 04-10-2015 9:04am

Still illegal. How do you know some works train or inspection car won't be out? The timetable doesn't show these movements obviously.

GerardKeating · 04-10-2015 10:46am

murphaph wrote: »

Still illegal. How do you know some works train or inspection car won't be out? The timetable doesn't show these movements obviously.

Freight trains also do not appear on the timetable, assuming we still have some.

wylie · 04-10-2015 10:54am

JJJJNR wrote: »

I want to walk the tracks to take some photos, is it legal as it's a Sunday morning there's no trains running or are there still trains on the lines.

Its illegal. This is a joke!

whisky_galore · 05-10-2015 11:31am

liam24 wrote: »

Do it anyway and ignore the ridiculous health and safety mania which has overtaken our society. When I was a child everybody used to walk the railways.

There was a time too when no-one wore helmets on building sites, cars didn't come with seat belts and you could smoke in pubs.
Things change.

To add to this, if you trespass for the purpose of taking photos it will bring other, responsible photographers into disrepute and perhaps leading to IE hardening their position to all photography on their property, even station platforms etc. like we see happening in the uk.

munchkin_utd · 06-10-2015 9:56am

a lad in Munich last week decided to take a short cut on a rail line, because there "was no trains" any more that evening.
You know what happened, he is now dead as there was a train running to the depot out of hours that caught him unawares.

But, sure if you are looking for a Darwin award (which the idea of contemplating walking on a live train track deserves) then go ahead.

L1011 · 06-10-2015 7:14pm

Wait til the strike, it'll be nice and empty then....

Still likely to be prosecuted if found, though. Find other vantages fot your photos

Victor · 06-10-2015 7:34pm

L1011 wrote: »

Wait til the strike, it'll be nice and empty then....

And if the trespasser slips an hurts themselves, they won't be found for a week.

L1011 · 06-10-2015 7:34pm

Victor wrote: »

And if the trespasser slips an hurts themselves, they won't be found for a week.

You're optimistic on how long they'll stay out!

Salmon Leap · 06-10-2015 8:03pm

Can't believe we're indulging a thread for someone who wants to do something that stupid.

wylie · 06-10-2015 8:30pm

Women dies after being struck by train.

http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-rail-sallins-fatality-2371579-Oct2015/

CaptainSkidmark · 06-10-2015 11:00pm

We were walking On the mallow-Kerry line a few years back and there was a strong head wind and we never heard the train behind us, only seen it when it was about 500m behind us.

never went walking on the tracks again.

rawn · 06-10-2015 11:02pm

Guys, chill he was just asking a question (rather than going right ahead and doing it). OP, I would ask if there's any disused tracks you can use, the overgrown ancient ones.

jungleman · 06-10-2015 11:05pm

rawn wrote: »

Guys, chill he was just asking a question (rather than going right ahead and doing it). OP, I would ask if there's any disused tracks you can use, the overgrown ancient ones.

Plenty of disused tracks around Meath, OP. The one that runs to Tara Mines being one, another one runs between Slane and Oristown.

But just to be extra sure, maybe contact Irish Rail or whoever just to be 100% sure that they are disused. I presume they are, they're completely overgrown.

L1011 · 06-10-2015 11:24pm

jungleman wrote: »

Plenty of disused tracks around Meath, OP. The one that runs to Tara Mines being one, another one runs between Slane and Oristown.

But just to be extra sure, maybe contact Irish Rail or whoever just to be 100% sure that they are disused. I presume they are, they're completely overgrown.

The line to Tara Mines is used...

jungleman · 06-10-2015 11:31pm

L1011 wrote: »

The line to Tara Mines is used...

You sure? The part where the line crosses the Kells/Navan road near the old department of Agriculture building and the retail park is completely overgrown? I don't think a train has run there for at least 10 years now?

Victor · 06-10-2015 11:51pm

jungleman wrote: »

You sure? The part where the line crosses the Kells/Navan road near the old department of Agriculture building and the retail park is completely overgrown? I don't think a train has run there for at least 10 years now?

Do you mean the line to Kingscourt? http://www.itoworld.com/map/198?lon=-6.50064&lat=53.72432&zoom=10&open_sidebar=map_key&fullscreen=true

Regardless, it is still trespass.

jungleman · 06-10-2015 11:59pm

Victor wrote: »

Do you mean the line to Kingscourt? http://www.itoworld.com/map/198?lon=-6.50064&lat=53.72432&zoom=10&open_sidebar=map_key&fullscreen=true

Regardless, it is still trespass.

Ah that's probably it. I always just presumed it was a line straight to Tara Mines, they're practically right next to each other at that point where the line crosses the road.

Happily stand corrected!

Jem72 · 07-10-2015 9:33am

It isn't likely Irish Rail would take it well if you ask. I once emailed their Heritage Officer to look for permission to take a walking group around the yard on Athlone side of Mullinger (which isn't technically closed I will admit but hasn't had a train for 15 years) for a walking tour I was doing for a group of kids on the history of the canal and the railway.

Let's just say the response was neither polite nor positive. Basically it was a legal threat.

Needless to say walking on an active railway line (or an inactive one for that matter) without permission is quite simply idiotic. You have no idea what's coming.

flyingsnail · 07-10-2015 9:55am

Jem72 wrote: »

It isn't likely Irish Rail would take it well if you ask. I once emailed their Heritage Officer to look for permission to take a walking group around the yard on Athlone side of Mullinger (which isn't technically closed I will admit but hasn't had a train for 15 years) for a walking tour I was doing for a group of kids on the history of the canal and the railway.

Let's just say the response was neither polite nor positive. Basically it was a legal threat.

Needless to say walking on an active railway line (or an inactive one for that matter) without permission is quite simply idiotic. You have no idea what's coming.

The last train in that yard would have been in march of this year.

While trains are the primary hazard, they are not the only hazard on the railways lots of other ways to get hurt.

whisky_galore · 07-10-2015 10:05am

It's like any industrial or building site now. Like you can't just swan around the premises of a factory (even apparantly disused/abandoned areas) if you clearly have no business being there.

If you want to walk along the side of railway lines and take your life in your hands, try places with ropy H&S cultures like India or SE Asia.

JJJJNR · 07-10-2015 10:16am

Cheers, there's a footpath that runs parallel to Kilcoole station I can use that, and maybe just maybe be mad enough to put a foot on the railway.

Louche Lad · 07-10-2015 2:01pm

whisky_galore wrote: »

If you want to walk along the side of railway lines and take your life in your hands, try places with ropy H&S cultures like India or SE Asia.

Or like the US?

"A mass of Bruins fans were ready at 8:40 a.m. yesterday as the train approached the commuter rail station in Reading."

This is from this news story about ice hockey fans having difficulty getting into Boston. The story does raise one safety concern: saying some people could get "trampled".

L1011 · 07-10-2015 9:29pm

US trains can (Acela etc aside) be extremely, extremely slow and extremely loud. Its also approaching a station where it'd be even slower.

whisky_galore · 07-10-2015 9:58pm

Louche Lad wrote: »

Or like the US?

Oh yes, that country where the natural solution to gun rampages are 'more guns'.:rolleyes:

BuffyBot · 08-10-2015 1:49am

whisky_galore wrote: »

Oh yes, that country where the natural solution to gun rampages are 'more guns'.:rolleyes:

Apple, orange. Keep on topic folks, please..

MGWR · 08-10-2015 9:39pm

L1011 wrote: »

US trains can (Acela etc aside) be extremely, extremely slow and extremely loud. It's also approaching a station where it'd be even slower.

The average speed on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Haverhill Line (originally Boston & Maine Railway), depicted in post #27, is 30.5 mph for local trains. Compare that to DART's usual average speed of 20 mph. The diesels that MBTA has used in both past and present are no louder than IE's JT42HCWs or JT22CWs.

The behaviour on the platform shown in the photo is also extremely rare as well as illegal.

FishOnABike · 08-10-2015 9:58pm

CaptainSkidmark wrote: »

We were walking On the mallow-Kerry line a few years back and there was a strong head wind and we never heard the train behind us, only seen it when it was about 500m behind us.

never went walking on the tracks again.

Did you get that name before or after you saw the train.

A Dub in Glasgo · 10-10-2015 7:18pm

I work for the railway in Britain and spent a good few years working trackside. Trains or no trains, walking along the trackside is full of hazards and I would willingly avoid doing it so not sure if a photo is worth it

Effects · 16-10-2015 10:55am

Not that I am condoning walking on the tracks, but can't you walk on the set of tracks facing the direction of the oncoming trains? Less chance of it coming up behind you.
I had a fright with a train approaching behind me when I was about 12 and playing on the tracks. Happened once and I was very careful since.

whisky_galore · 16-10-2015 10:58am

Effects wrote: »

Not that I am condoning walking on the tracks, but can't you walk on the set of tracks facing the direction of the oncoming trains? Less chance of it coming up behind you.
I had a fright with a train approaching behind me when I was about 12 and playing on the tracks. Happened once and I was very careful since.

Jesus. No it's trespass, in a clearly dangerous place.
Why can't people understand this?

A Dub in Glasgo · 16-10-2015 11:00am

Effects wrote: »

Not that I am condoning walking on the tracks, but can't you walk on the set of tracks facing the direction of the oncoming trains? Less chance of it coming up behind you.
I had a fright with a train approaching behind me when I was about 12 and playing on the tracks. Happened once and I was very careful since.

You assume the track is in a straight line, what will you do when confronted by a curve or at a junction or a bi-directional section?

L1011 · 16-10-2015 1:01pm

Effects wrote: »

Not that I am condoning walking on the tracks, but can't you walk on the set of tracks facing the direction of the oncoming trains? Less chance of it coming up behind you.
I had a fright with a train approaching behind me when I was about 12 and playing on the tracks. Happened once and I was very careful since.

Much of the network is single track

demanufactured · 16-10-2015 2:40pm

Plenty of track to walk between athlone and mullingar now.

Victor · 16-10-2015 6:18pm

Effects wrote: »

Not that I am condoning walking on the tracks, but can't you walk on the set of tracks facing the direction of the oncoming trains? Less chance of it coming up behind you.
I had a fright with a train approaching behind me when I was about 12 and playing on the tracks. Happened once and I was very careful since.

As mentioned, much of the network is single track and you can expect trains to come from either direction. On the two-track section, you can either expect trains to be very frequent (Cork, Dublin, Belfast areas) or very vast - 90-100mph (145-160km/h). In some areas, you can have trains running on the 'wrong' track - express trains passing stopped trains.

Jamie2k9 · 17-10-2015 2:27am

I believe any time a person is on the line and is caught by CCTV it's downloaded and passed straight to guards or if you are caught a few times you can expect a knock on the door from the guards.

Know a case in which it happened and while no further action was taken IE would go further if it continued.

Anywhere on the line counts so if you pass a farm crossing gate it will be reported.

IE have also placed CCTV at certain spots on the line where it becomes a big issue or improper use of gates etc on the lines and take action following this.

Louche Lad · 23-10-2015 5:08pm

Photography on empty lines in the US: http://fusion.net/video/219766/think-before-taking-photo-empty-train-track

A Dub in Glasgo · 23-10-2015 5:19pm

So much recklessness in that video

flyingsnail · 23-10-2015 5:41pm

I just love how that photographer tries to justify it as safe (or doing her due diligence :rolleyes:) by placing a penny on the tracks :eek::eek::eek:

A Dub in Glasgo · 23-10-2015 5:43pm

Admittedly that stretch looked abandoned

Walking railway lines

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