Western Railroad Discussion > Warning for Commerce Railfans

For those that are familiar with the Commerce, CA Metrolink platform, Most of you are have driven down 26th st, the street that parallels the tracks, to where it dead ends at the Commerce Intermodal Facility entrance gate. Many Commerce railfans know that at some point the street stops becoming public property, and starts becoming railroad property. But where exactly is this point?

The obvious answer would be at the the gate marking the entrance to the intermodal yard. After all, it's clearly marked 900ft of that point with a sign that reads "ROAD ENDS 900 FT". But while railfanning the Metrolink platform last night, I the two road switchers parked at the LAJ lead (The track that crosses 26th St, where switching power is typically stored) were crewed and a crewman started chucking flares onto the street, signaling their intent to cross. So I grab my camera and tripod and relocate across the street to the parking lot to shoot the locomotives crossing behind the flares. I will admit that I moved up a bit closer to the crossing to shoot another shot, but stayed set up on the curb. When I moved up, a Parsec supervisor, Olympic Security Guard, and BNSF Special agent all rolled up to accuse me of throwing flares. I explained to them I was just photographing, and it that the flares came from the train crew, before he crossed. While the special agent took down my information, the Parsec supervisor started ranting his mouth about how I'm going to get killed and I was trespassing on BNSF property. His reply was that BNSF property began at the end of the Metrolink parking lot. I apologized and I explained that I didn't see the sign, and the Olympic guard and Special Agent both assured me that the property began at the end of the Metrolink parking lot, and that there were signs posted. After taking my information and lecturing me about tresspassing on private property, I was told to take my equipment and leave. On my way out, I looked for the sign the special agent was referring to, and the only sign I could find read "BNSF Lot" with an arrow indicating it's direction.

So wandering railfans beware, according to Parsec, Olympic Security, and BNSF, their property begins at the end of the Commerce Metrolink parking lot- even though there is nothing posted stating so.

-theDash

I have noticed and have stated previously in other threads here that BNSF SA's have changed a lot over the past year. Where previously they have been railfan friendly now they have done a complete 180.
As a Nevadan Law Enforcement officer I have been threaten with arrest at crossings at Needles and Kingman. Both which are public roadways. In both cases local law enforcement(SB County Sheriff and AZ DPS) were called and they had no problem with my actions, in fact it was more of a chuckle.
This is a major change from when I used to take photos of crew changes at Needles and trains passing the Kingman station and receive a friendly wave from BNSF SA's as long as I was not near the main.

How many gang members and transients did they run past to get to you?

But where exactly is this
> point?
>
If there is no sign, then BNSF has some explaining to do if they contend their property begins at some imaginary point.

> So wandering railfans beware, according to Parsec,
> Olympic Security, and BNSF, their property begins
> at the end of the Commerce Metrolink parking lot-
> even though there is nothing posted stating so.
>
I certainly hope, when asked to leave, that you only retreated to the public street.

Commerce platform is a great PUBLIC place to shoot in winter light, and I've never been hassled there.

Alco251 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I certainly hope, when asked to leave, that you
> only retreated to the public street.
>
> Commerce platform is a great PUBLIC place to shoot
> in winter light, and I've never been hassled
> there.

Yeah, after the conversation I thanked the officer for his information and took off. I actually wanted to get out of there earlier because I had a UP special to catch, but I would have left anyways. I'm one of the Commerce rats who calls the platform a second home, and I think this incident pretty much covers all of the area around the platform. Ive been questioned in the parking lot, now across the street, down the street shooting over a chain link fence (I'm pretty sure thats still public property, but rentacops sometimes like to extend their reign of power), and along the street (before it became an intermodal gate). One of these days Metrolink is going to place a security guard on the platform and kill that too (Knowing my luck).

-theDash

PS. BNSF added the last set of signals required to replace that hand throw switch coming off the Commerce Intermodal lead with a power switch this week. When the main is taken out of service to replace the switch, the new signal mast, along with the cantilever signals added a few weeks ago on the west end of the platform and the set of signals that have been turned to their sides for years since the addition of the cantilever on the east end of the platform will most likely be cut in service.

I sure some crooks where trying to get in a trailer whe he was F#$%ing with you. The SA's are a joke now. They mess with you on public land. I had a run in with a BNSF PA in Corona and I called the cops and they just about fell over. he said I was tresspassing sitting on the side of the street in legal parking takeing pics from the bed of my truck. He was a d&^k tell the cops came. by the way I called the cops so he would leave me alone. I wanted pics of the last swift train. but i didnt get any. Later Holland

Somewhere in the county courthouse there should be a place where surveys and deeds are filed. A little time spent there should determine where the RR's property line begins and public property ends. Here in Virginia , this is public information. The next time a rent a dunce gives you a hard time, whip out a copy of the plat.

Len

There is no need for the county administration building. This is the modern era. I have a little bit of difficulty making out this map, but check out:
http://assessormap.co.la.ca.us/mapping/gifimage.asp?val=6332004.00

I think that is the area in question.

And just for kicks, it came from http://assessormap.co.la.ca.us/mapping/viewer.asp

Make Big Brother Work for You.
Crashela.

theDash Wrote:

> While the special agent took down my information,
> the Parsec supervisor started ranting his mouth
> about how I'm going to get killed and I was
> trespassing on BNSF property. His reply was that
> BNSF property began at the end of the Metrolink
> parking lot. I apologized and I explained that I
> didn't see the sign, and the Olympic guard and
> Special Agent both assured me that the property
> began at the end of the Metrolink parking lot, and
> that there were signs posted. After taking my
> information and lecturing me about tresspassing on
> private property, I was told to take my equipment
> and leave. On my way out, I looked for the sign
> the special agent was referring to, and the only
> sign I could find read "BNSF Lot" with an arrow
> indicating it's direction.


But didn't you know... You're supposed to be clairvoyant and just know that's where the property starts. I once had a ranger try to issue a ticket to me for going down a private "authorized personnel only" road in a park. 500 yards down from the start of the road was the sign that said "authorized personnel only". As soon as I saw the sign, I turned around and came back out, whereby the ranger was waiting for me and stopped me. The logic of the fact that there was no way to know it was a private road, until you were 500 yards onto it, seemed to be completely lost on him, no matter how many ways I tried to explain it. Luckily, he and the dispatcher were so lame, they couldn't even get it together enough to run my license, so he let me off with a "warning". Oooo... Like I was planing on coming back the next day to drive down their stupid road again. Sometimes it seems like some people are living in an alternate universe.

Dave
Los Angeles, CA
-Rail Radio Online-Home of the "TrainTenna" RR Monitoring Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/railradioonline

theDash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (I'm pretty sure
> thats still public property, but rentacops
> sometimes like to extend their reign of power),

What power?

http://assessormap.co.la.ca.us/mapping/gifimage2P.asp?imgpath=/gif/bk6332/6332006.00.gif

Looking at this map, I was standing in the area marked with what appears to be 500(?) in a circle, right at the jog in the street. Im not quite sure how to read this map, but the word "CITY" leads me to believe its city property.. is this true? Anyways, I've attached a photo I got before the agent arrived for those familar with the Commerce area.

-theDash

---

I

I love this guy ,thats a knee slapper.

DaveD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> But didn't you know... You're supposed to be
> clairvoyant and just know that's where the
> property starts. I once had a ranger try to issue
> a ticket to me for going down a private
> "authorized personnel only" road in a park. 500
> yards down from the start of the road was the sign
> that said "authorized personnel only". As soon as
> I saw the sign, I turned around and came back out,
> whereby the ranger was waiting for me and stopped
> me. The logic of the fact that there was no way to
> know it was a private road, until you were 500
> yards onto it, seemed to be completely lost on
> him, no matter how many ways I tried to explain
> it. Luckily, he and the dispatcher were so lame,
> they couldn't even get it together enough to run
> my license, so he let me off with a "warning".
> Oooo... Like I was planing on coming back the next
> day to drive down their stupid road again.
> Sometimes it seems like some people are living in
> an alternate universe.
>
> Dave



Similar cituation but not railroad related.

One time while I was a truck driver, I was returning to the terminal in South Gate from Long Beach late one night. Caltrans has the Firestone off ramp closed, so I had to get off at Florence. The terminal was on Gage ave between the then SP Walker line and Florence ave, but we always went via Firestone and Atlantic. Anyways, so I come to Gage on Florence and turn left onto Gage. (I have never been this way before, as we either came in off Firestone or came down Atlantic from near the Amtrak enigine yard, where there was a team track adjancent to it.) About 1000 feet down the road is a sign saying no trucks over 5 tons just before a stop sign at a residential street. Now this part of Gate is residential, but 2 blocks down becomes commercial. I am grossing about 39 tons. As soon as I get to that stop sign, 3 Bell Gardens police cars with lights flashing stop me asking what I was doing there. I explain and they say too bad. He issues a overweight ticket costing $2500. Of course I fought it. I explained it to the judge. The judge asks the officer: Where was the sign? Officer responds: 1000 ft south of Florence. Judge asks officer: When the driver saw the sign, what was he then supposed to do? Officer answers: Turn right at that next street to exit. Judge asks the officer: What kind of street is that that he should turn right onto? Officer responds: A residential street. Judge asks the officer: What is the distance of that street to Atlantic Blvd? Officer answers: About a quarter mile. Judge asks officer: What is the distance on Gage from that street until the next block where Gage becomes commercial? Officer answers: About 750 feet. Judge asks officer: So, after the driver sees the sign, you want him to turn right onto a residential street and drive 1/4 mile to get to Atlantic, but if he just continues straight on Gage, he will be out of the residential area in 750 feet. Is that what you are telling me? Officer responds: I believe so. Judge responds: Case dismissed.

2 days later, the no truck signs were at Gage and Florence.