# Photographing on Train Tracks



## amolitor (Oct 30, 2013)

ToP has a nice writeup here:

The Online Photographer: Union Pacific to Photographers: Cut It Out

And here's the press release from Union Pacific:

UP: Union Pacific Railroad and Operation Lifesaver Urge Professional Photographers to Stay Safe, Stay Away From Train Tracks

The legal stuff applies mostly in the USA, although similar laws may apply in your country. The "getting hit by a damn train" stuff is pretty much global, though.


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## tirediron (Oct 30, 2013)

Good information, thanks Andrew!


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## texkam (Oct 30, 2013)

I think my "really good camera" has a setting for train tracks.


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## wyogirl (Oct 30, 2013)

I read those before you posted them.  Its good info.  We have a TON of tracks around here and they are ALWAYS busy.  For the record, UP has had people arrested before so if the danger doesn't get you off the tracks, maybe not wanting a pair of new silver bracelets will.


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## Tailgunner (Oct 30, 2013)

This reminds me, I've been meaning to go shoot some tracks near an old bridge.


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## runnah (Oct 30, 2013)

Safety issues aside, it's just cliche.


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## KmH (Oct 30, 2013)

A cliche? Yes! But! OMG! The symbolism! The Symbolism!


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## sm4him (Oct 30, 2013)

I have taken the "leading lines" kind of shots of railroad tracks before, but always from a very safe spot.

I absolutely detest the photo shoot setups of people walking along railroad tracks--especially young people. I've just always thought it sends the message that "hey, walking along train tracks with no regard for your safety or for what a train might have to do to try to keep from running over you is Cool! Everyone should do it!"
It's Reason #48 why I shouldn't be a Pro Photographer; because I would simply refuse to shoot those images.

Granted, I suppose much of my attitude has to do with the fact I had a cousin who was like a little brother (even lived with us for a while) who met his demise on a railroad track--so I just don't see it as being "cool" and "fun" the way others evidently do.


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## ronlane (Oct 30, 2013)

Sharon, sorry for you loss.

Not to down play the danger because I get that, or the trespassing, which I realize that a LOT of photographers do as well. But really is the train tracks anymore dangerous than they were 10-20 years ago? I would venture to say that they aren't as dangerous. I base this on my thoughts not facts, but are there as many trains running today as there were back then or longer ago?


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## Tailgunner (Oct 30, 2013)

My aunt used to have a home where a train ran through her back yard. I spent a lot of my summers playing around on those tracks with my cousins back when we was younger. I can't recall for sure but I couldn't have been older than 9 or 10 years old and we knew enough to get out of the way of trains. Anyhow, I'm not going to go setting up a studio on the railroad tracks or hoping fences to train yards but I'm not going to avoid tracks either.


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## sm4him (Oct 30, 2013)

ronlane said:


> Sharon, sorry for you loss.
> 
> Not to down play the danger because I get that, or the trespassing, which I realize that a LOT of photographers do as well. But really is the train tracks anymore dangerous than they were 10-20 years ago? I would venture to say that they aren't as dangerous. I base this on my thoughts not facts, but are there as many trains running today as there were back then or longer ago?



At least in this area, it seems to me like there are still a LOT of trains running along many of our tracks. Perhaps not as many as 10 years ago, almost certainly not as many as 20 years, ago BUT:
1) 10-20 years ago, there also weren't nearly as many photographers leading their clients out onto tracks for a photo. 
2) To me, the infrequency is one of the danger points. It used to be you KNEW that the train came down a particular track at 9:15 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. every day.  At 10:30, you could pretty much guarantee there wasn't going to be a train on that track. Nowadays, it seems so sporadic and random, that it would be harder to really KNOW beyond a shadow of doubt that there is not going to be a train coming down that track. I've even seen trains on tracks that I'd long since decided were clearly abandoned.


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## ronlane (Oct 30, 2013)

I can see your point Sharon. And those two things are probably a big contributor to the problems of this today. I think that it all comes down to common sense and I don't mean that just for photographers but in everything these days. It seems to me that lack of common sense is the key factor to a lot of issues in today's times.


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## Tailgunner (Oct 30, 2013)

sm4him said:


> ronlane said:
> 
> 
> > Sharon, sorry for you loss.
> ...



Ya, but we're not talking Bullet trains folks. I mean unless you're deft and blind, you're going to see or hear a train well in advance. I mean how many photographers are hit by trains each year, 1? I don't know, seems like a non issue to me, something for the bloggers to blog about.


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## runnah (Oct 30, 2013)

Tailgunner said:


> sm4him said:
> 
> 
> > ronlane said:
> ...



Amtrak has trains that hit 150mph.

Having worked on live tracks I can tell you that without blowing the horn they can sneak up on you. The noise is a building noise rather than a sudden loud noise. Also judging the speed of an object head on is very tricky and can catch you out if you aren't aware.

Watch this video. Notice how it doesn't even seems to be moving from the head on shot. Also notice how quiet the train is until it's almost right on top of you. Dopplar effect. 





Catenary (overhead power) trains are silent except for the wind noise and wheel noise thanks to electric motors.


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## runnah (Oct 30, 2013)

One more.


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## Flare (Oct 30, 2013)

If you need to shoot tracks or something on, near or about tracks do yourself a favor shoot at the crossing or find abandon tracks which is your best bet. Trains come out of no where.


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## amolitor (Oct 30, 2013)

Actually trains are pretty specific about where they come from. There are generally only two choices!

I've spent tons of time walking on the tracks, but I stayed sharp 100% of the time. Taking pictures or doing some other distracting task WHILE standing on tracks is quite dangerous. Mucking around in yards without a constant lookout both ways (i.e. two people) is dangerous, as well. Just walking along the tracks, being steadily aware of your surroundings and not playing any games with the trains is pretty safe.

It's also illegal, in the USA!


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## vintagesnaps (Oct 30, 2013)

There are a lot of trains in my area too; they don't seem to be moving too fast coming out of town but once they pick up speed they're flying. I don't know if there are more or less running these days, but the schedule seems sporadic and I've seen tracks too that seem almost abandoned but they do still get used. 

Occasionally there is an accident in the area where someone's killed either on foot or in a car on railroad tracks, and there's a college town not too far from me where students have been killed walking on tracks.

Which is getting OT, but when photographers are setting up portrait sessions on tracks they're not just putting themselves in a position of being liable or potentially dealing with a lawsuit or maybe facing charges, they're putting other people's lives at risk. Particularly if it involves young kids, the concern of course would be getting them off the tracks in time to avoid a potential tragedy.


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## jdh313 (Dec 9, 2013)

I can't stress this enough, don't shoot on the tracks.  As a railfan (photographer specializing in rails), I can assure you that they can come at any time.  A red signal doesn't mean a train can't come, in fact, on NS and CSX, the signal may be red on the top or bottom, and this means that it can pass at more than 50 miles per hour.  Furthermore, just because a signal is dark doesn't mean that the track isn't used, some signals don't light up until the train is only a mile or two away, not much time when the train is moving at 50-60mph (conservatively).  And with the trees around or on a curve, the trains really do sneak up.  Even expecting trains (staying at a safe spot), I have been caught off guard.  I have also seen many people cut it close to getting hit trespassing, and in just the past 6 months there have been two fatalities on one Saturday on one line.  It's more often than you think.
Off my soapbox, if you care to disagree please respond.
JDH313


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## Tailgunner (Dec 9, 2013)

jdh313 said:


> I can't stress this enough, don't shoot on the tracks.  As a railfan (photographer specializing in rails), I can assure you that they can come at any time.  A red signal doesn't mean a train can't come, in fact, on NS and CSX, the signal may be red on the top or bottom, and this means that it can pass at more than 50 miles per hour.  Furthermore, just because a signal is dark doesn't mean that the track isn't used, some signals don't light up until the train is only a mile or two away, not much time when the train is moving at 50-60mph (conservatively).  And with the trees around or on a curve, the trains really do sneak up.  Even expecting trains (staying at a safe spot), I have been caught off guard.  I have also seen many people cut it close to getting hit trespassing, and in just the past 6 months there have been two fatalities on one Saturday on one line.  It's more often than you think.
> Off my soapbox, if you care to disagree please respond.
> JDH313



So does this mean you no longer photograph railroad tracks?


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## The_Traveler (Dec 9, 2013)

These two girls were sitting on an overpass about 5 miles from where I live; the train went by and, in a freak occurrence some coal cars derailed and killed them both.

Two Maryland teenagers killed when train derails, spills coal - CNN.com


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## jdh313 (Dec 9, 2013)

Tailgunner,
No I still enjoy shooting trains.  BUT, I don't trespass when I do so.  Even if I know nothing's coming, I still stay a safe distance because you NEVER know what's going to happen.  I almost saw somebody get hit two weeks ago, whether intentional or not, I don't want to watch someone die, nor do I believe the Engineer should have to live with that guilt for the rest of their lives.


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## cmhbob (Dec 9, 2013)

Had to share this article with video & photos. There's a train line in Thailand that runs through a market.

Trains Run Through Market in Maeklong, Thailand - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ


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## ratssass (Dec 9, 2013)

cmhbob said:


> Had to share this article with video & photos. There's a train line in Thailand that runs through a market.
> 
> Trains Run Through Market in Maeklong, Thailand - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ



...saw that,on a different site.I think they are ahead of us with their drive-thru window!!


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## Tailgunner (Dec 9, 2013)

nvm


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