Eastern Railroad Discussion > Woodbourne, PA Now Off Limits?

Received an email from a friend, inquiring if I had heard anything in regard to something passed along to him by a contact at SEPTA. Apparently, Woodbourne, PA is being added to the list of "Off Limits" areas for fans. I was told that this is due to a group of railfan regulars ... mostly teens and twenty-somethings ... who have been repeatedly trespassing on NS, CSX, and SEPTA property, engaging in horseplay on RR property, drinking in the parking lot, etc.

The person who emailed me had hoped to go to Woodbourne to view some CSX action this weekend, but is wondering if they should now steer clear based on what has been going on there. Has anyone in the area noticed an increased police presence in the vicinity of Woodbourne Station, or CP WOOD on the former CR Trenton Line?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/11 11:23 by bioyans.

I have heard of the locals who go there and apparently quite literally camp out there using tents (more like something used at a tailgate rather than in the woods) and sleeping bags but I have not heard about anything action taken against said locals.

nanshant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have heard of the locals who go there and
> apparently quite literally camp out there using
> tents (more like something used at a tailgate
> rather than in the woods) and sleeping bags but I
> have not heard about anything action taken against
> said locals.

It is my understanding (second or third hand, albeit) that something happened over this past weekend that caught SEPTA's attention, and they are taking action because of that.

SEPTA's photography policy is listed here:

http://www.septa.org/policy/film.html

I would think, though, that trespassing, drinking alcoholic beverages, and even camping out in the parking lot would not be allowed. If that behavior is the problem, let us hope that proscriptive action is limited to addressing the problem.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/11 13:04 by toledopatch.

On Saturday a group of 10-15 teenagers where there, for a Birthday Party of a notorious rail buff trespasser. Most of them have you tube accounts so they left plenty of evidence! I personally witnessed one person stand in the gauge of the septa main shooting an NS train over the bridge. There was 3 tents up at one point. I stayed away from them and left the location as for I thought it would attract attention. I will Post a link to a you tube video to show some of what went on! This is unfortunate for those who respect the location if this is indeed true!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/11 22:43 by NJTMatt.

NJTMatt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On Saturday a group of 10-15 teenagers where
> there, for a Birthday Party of a notorious rail
> buff trespasser. Most of them have you tube
> accounts so they left plenty of evidence! I
> personally witnesses on person stand in the gauge
> of the septa main shooting an NS train over the
> bridge. There was 3 tents up at one point. I
> stayed away from them and left the location as for
> I thought it would attract attention. I will Post
> a link to a you tube video to show that went on!
> This is unfortunate for those who respect the
> location if this is indeed true!

This sounds absolutely brilliant (NOT). Again, I hope any "crackdown" will not affect law-abiding photographers.

Please note this link has some obscene language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT56AC8zDCs&feature=player_embedded#at=20

NJTMatt Wrote:
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> Please note this link has some obscene language.
>
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT56AC8zDCs&featur
> e=player_embedded#at=20

Well, yeah, that's just a liability problem waiting to happen.

How stupid do you have to be to post this s**t in a public place, anyway? It's basically an invitation to the SEPTA police to come on down and run everybody off.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/11 14:23 by toledopatch.

Don't know who owns the parking lot the row is CSX

I believe the lot is owned by SEPTA as it was the site of the older Woodbourne Station.

Shouldn't those guys be out doing something else on a saturday night, like meeting girls?

I guess all things considered it is nice to see a large group of young blood in the hobby.

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NJTMatt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Please note this link has some obscene language.
>
> >
> >
> >
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT56AC8zDCs&featur
>
> > e=player_embedded#at=20
>
> Well, yeah, that's just a liability problem
> waiting to happen.
>
> How stupid do you have to be to post this s**t in
> a public place, anyway? It's basically an
> invitation to the SEPTA police to come on down and
> run everybody off.


Video has been pulled by its owner

Probably a good idea

It's railfans like those who give the rest of us a bad name. It's very very sad.

MrMichael Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess all things considered it is nice to see a
> large group of young blood in the hobby.

Believe me, you don't want dangerous & selfish fools like these jackasses in the hobby. Folk like this just leave a trail of heightened security awareness and brand-new "No Trespassing" signs in their wake.

I to have heard of that group of local railfans that are always there. If I may be right they stay off of railroad property and stay in the lot. One of the railfans was celebrating their birthday there last weekend.

---Nick

nscpmo Wrote:
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> I to have heard of that group of local railfans
> that are always there. If I may be right they stay
> off of railroad property and stay in the lot.

That is mistake #1. Congregating like that and remaining there for hours on end isn't necessarily always a problem, but "putting down roots" and basically spending the day there *while also* engaging in loud, stupid, unsafe or all-of-the-above behavior is just *begging* the cops to crash the party. SEPTA's generally pretty lax about patrolling the far suburban reaches of their Railroad Division. If these idiots change that, I will be very upset.

> One
> of the railfans was celebrating their birthday
> there last weekend.
>
> ---Nick

Yes, that was already mentioned in this same thread. See below:

NJTMatt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On Saturday a group of 10-15 teenagers where
> there, for a Birthday Party of a notorious rail
> buff trespasser. Most of them have you tube
> accounts so they left plenty of evidence! I
> personally witnesses on person stand in the gauge
> of the septa main shooting an NS train over the
> bridge. There was 3 tents up at one point. I
> stayed away from them and left the location as for
> I thought it would attract attention. I will Post
> a link to a you tube video to show some of what
> went on! This is unfortunate for those who
> respect the location if this is indeed true!

Based on that account, I wouldn't even trust these clowns at a kiddie birthday party held at Chuck E. Cheese, let alone cavorting on an active railroad. All they're going to do is get Woodburne put under the microscope and ruin it for all other, *safer* fans who are interested in the location. At worst, they'll cause the same result due to one of them getting squished or causing someone else to get squished.

The only thing that comes to mind here is a great moment from The Simpsons, when Jimbo Jones and his houligans ride by on a stolen parking enforcement scooter during a joyride, and he is filming the activities complete with faces. He then says "Filming this crime spree is the best idea ever" as Dolph waves to the camera.

Stupid realism like this is what makes the show so sadly funny at times...

I live in Wilmington, Delaware and we have a core group of railfans that hang out in one spot and have done it for a long time. I'm talking 30 years in some cases. We all get along and we all respect the RR property. In fact we have a very good relationship with CSX police. We report trespassers, suspected graffiti and the usual assistance to crews for coffee etc. Bottom line is we are an accepted group and value our ability to watch trains while being good citizens. What we have noticed in the last year is a group of young people and some older people showing up and misbehaving. Walking on the tracks, parking too close to the tracks etc etc. New people. When we try and explain to them to move or stop, some people comply(older people) and others give us crap(younger people)

We finally got sick of this and started to be more verbally aggressive with these folks. We have a good thing and we refuse to allow a couple of idiots to screw up 30 years of work. I have even called CSX police on 2 railfans who refused to move their tripods that were only 3 feet from the mainline. These railfans continue to amaze me but we have decided to be proactive and so far, it seems to be working.

Bruce

I'm not inclined to get all preachy about trespassing. I've trespassed in the past. Some of my best photographs were taken from places that were not public property. I'll probably push the line from time to time in the future, too; sometimes the shot from the grade crossing or the station platform simply isn't good enough. It would be hypocritical of me not to acknowledge either of these things.

The difference I make here is that posting YouTube videos like the one formerly linked-to here is basically rubbing the authorities' nose in it. I remember back in the late 1980s somebody bragged in a magazine article he had written -- and that was ill-advisedly published verbatim -- that he had free run of the D&H yard in Oneonta, New York to take pictures, that the railroad police were never around. Well, guess what? That liberty ended really fast once that dips**t stuck his virtual tongue out at the bulls. And that's what Internet videos glorifying misbehavior also accomplish.

Whatever happened to discretion? As a photographer, I adhere to the principle, "Take only pictures, leave only footprints." And you know what? I try to avoid the footprints part whenever possible, too.