Passenger Trains > NJ: ATV trespassers struck by train, arrested

Two men riding an all terrain vehicle along the NJ Transit (Erie) right of way in Bergen County were struck by a train, and injured.  Police issued citations for a variety of trespassing, motor vehicle, etc charges.

"Defiant  trespass" in NJ usually means ignoring a posted warning, or a verbal warning from a person authorized to deliver same.

https://www.nj.com/bergen/2020/11/atv-riders-hit-by-nj-transit-train-near-metlife-stadium-face-several-charges-cops-say.html

I am sorry that they got hurt; however they were lucky that they were not killed.  What do we have to do to make people stop trespassing onto private property?  No common sense around railroad tracks.  They say our society is getting smarter with higher education; however these same people are getting dumber.  I hope that they have to pay a very high fine and a couple of nights in jail would not hurt either.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

ClubCar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am sorry that they got hurt; however they were
> lucky that they were not killed.  What do we have
> to do to make people stop trespassing onto private
> property?  No common sense around railroad
> tracks.  They say our society is getting smarter
> with higher education; however these same people
> are getting dumber.  I hope that they have to pay
> a very high fine and a couple of nights in jail
> would not hurt either.
> John in White Marsh, Maryland

I just love it. A railfan, a group that routinely trespasses on railroad property, complaining about trespassers on railroad property.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ClubCar Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am sorry that they got hurt; however they
> were
> > lucky that they were not killed.  What do we
> have
> > to do to make people stop trespassing onto
> private
> > property?  No common sense around railroad
> > tracks.  They say our society is getting
> smarter
> > with higher education; however these same
> people
> > are getting dumber.  I hope that they have to
> pay
> > a very high fine and a couple of nights in jail
> > would not hurt either.
> > John in White Marsh, Maryland
>
> I just love it. A railfan, a group that routinely
> trespasses on railroad property, complaining about
> trespassers on railroad property.

Most of us do. There are a few idiots in the ranks, but most of us hate trespassers because it gives us a bad name, especially if the trespassers are "railfans."

False equivalency. Yes, some fans do very stupid things but most of the time fan trespassing means watching or photographing from a safe and respectful distance that happens to be RR property thus trespassing. That’s quite a bit different than driving an ATV down the track or so close as to be clipped by a train. (I presume they were not in the gauge as they were not killed.)

I trespass all of the time.  I'll pull off of the road maybe 4 or 6 feet onto railroad property and that's it.  I don't drive down an access road to a signal or other point.  I doubt if there's anyone on here that hasn't at least pulled off of the road onto railroad property as a safe place to stop, out of traffic.  Usually, that's the only place you can park unless you happen to be near some commercial property or a shopping area that is next to the tracks.  What bothers me is the occasional fan that walks out on the tracks just because he's special and the rules don't apply to him.  As others have said, it gives the rest of us a bad name.  Those that ride ATVs on the right of way are probably not railfans.  They're just looking for a different place to ride.  They may have seen the "No Trespassing" sign but they've also seen other people on the tracks so they sort of ignore it.  

John

In the town I live in, they ride on the Providence & Worcester tracks because they think nothing will happen, and because they're entitled to a place to ride.  When confronted in online forums, their response is usually something akin to "if you can't see/hear the train coming then you have problems."  You know, because there's no chance that an ATV could drown out the sound of a train that's rolling downgrade and not using much throttle.

I don't ever trespass and have zero sympathy for the legal consequences thrust upon anyone who does. 

I am in the what's yours is yours and mine is mine camp, and so stay off RR property.  There are plenty of good places to watch and photograph that don't take you where you should not be.  And RRs have always been very respectrful of staying off my property. (actually they do not have much interest.!!!)

Charles Rice
Saint Louis, MO

When I was a wee lad, we did have railroad personnel entering our property in Monrovia CA.  But it was OK because my mother gave the Pacific Electric track crew permission to fill their water container from our front yard faucet.