Is it posted for no trespassing?

I'm quite certain it is illegal on all tracks on current use. I know the ones near my mom's, they have said since the 90s they'd be putting a fence up... Well there's no fence still but plenty of no trespassing signs.

I think it's illegal to walk on train tracks everywhere.

Per Maine law: A person may not, without right, stand or walk on a railroad track or railroad bridge or pass over a railroad bridge except by railroad conveyance

https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/23/title23sec7007.html

Boo. Thanks though!

It's only illegal if you get caught

Walk on tracks illegal. Walk along side no. Just keep a safe distance

Only illegal if you get caught

*Taps on head gif*

#FALSE Tracks and the property directly adjacent too is owned by the railway, they don’t want you on or near the tracks.

yeah it's federal law. It's considered trespassing to be on the tracks unless at a public crossing (and I believe the applies to the entire railroad right-of-way)

There is an exemption if you have a red handkerchief fashioned into a sack dangling from a stick.

It depends. Can you outrun the local constable?

It’s called a bindle, and if you have one the bulls will know you’re a hobo and give you a good whooping

Noted.

Seems unlikely

Then you should probably avoid walking along active train lines.

I didn't realize I was such a rebel as a child

That's why you need to watch for Hobo signs that will warn you where the bulls are.

Not sure about the downvotes—I understand the allure. However, the reason for it is about liability and danger. It's surprisingly easy for a train to sneak up on you when you're on the tracks (not kidding—I've been air horn blasted off the tracks by a train that I didn't hear coming). The railroads hate cleaning the mess, dealing with the therapy for the engineer, and fighting lawsuits in court as the result of person vs. train. The train usually wins in a spectacular way.

Correct. Relevant: https://youtu.be/z3f-ZcmZlDk

. . .or squashed by a train.

I get it. I just happen to live by a rarely-used spur, and it is the absolute shortest way from my house to the school. I would love it if the kids could walk to school that way. Shorter and safer that the road routes.

It is illegal, but it's one of those laws rarely enforced. We walked the tracks all the time as kids, sometimes for miles. No one cared as long as we paid attention and were careful.

I know right!! I loved finding the old railroad spikes!

And if you want to go on the tracks, you have to get a spotter that watches you for like $20,000 an hour

Movie money.

I lived near tracks and this was, without exaggeration, 30% of my childhood and teen years growing up in Maine. What else was I going to do??

I live by the train tracks and we call it the hobo highway. All the crack heads hang out walking the train tracks for whatever reason. Just seems like you would be asking for trouble walking on them

How else were we supposed to get to the rope swing under the bridge if we didn’t cross said bridge?

Or, for that matter, the railroad police? The old Pan Am Boston & Maine police dept., all two people of it, has likely been replaced by a much more capable CSX team.

That Stephen King was full of shit, man!

Mountain division trail is a trail along train tracks that's public that you can walk. It starts in Standish and runs into Fryeburg I believe. Off of river road in Windham is a parking area next to the trail where a very short walk takes you over a railroad bridge. I'm 95% certain the tracks are decommissioned but it's state land and intended as a walking trail.

Thank you kind stranger!

Yes, as I was busted by a track maintenance fellow while searching for my lost cat. He told me he could fine me, even though he didn't. The track was in a heavily touristed area (right next to Red's) and though there is a constructed opening in the chain link fence, people are not allowed to walk on the tracks.

Took 6 weeks but we found the cat and she was living there, by the tracks.

I grew up in CA and we always walked on the tracks, crossed over the tracks etc. No one ever said anything. But I guess it was technically illegal and 20 years later a pedestrian bridge was constructed and cost several million dollars (and had to be ADA compliant though how a wheelchair could get to that bridge was beyond me). Maybe they paid for it out of the fines?

technically, yes, it is trespassing on railroad property. It is selectively enforced in my experience.

Are we talking active tracks only?

Isn’t there a group that makes gas powered rail cars and explores abandoned tracks? I always thought that’d be fun but wouldn’t want to get arrested doing it.

Stand By Me vibes

I would avoid doing it in town but if you are in the woods somewhere it's doubtful anyone is going to give you shit.

Technically yes , but practically unenforceable. Worst that happens is you claim ignorance if you get caught and get a warning. I got busted on the tracks near Thompson's point trying to shortcut and the Portland PD just told me to not do it again.

Oops. I birdwatch a bog off of the tracks. I had no clue and grew up with trains running thru my town. We always hung out by the old train stations.

My grandma had a cat carved on their back fence gate post because after she fed her family and workers she fed the rest to people during the depression. She also tried to help with sick animals and took in my Uncle Bill from the streets of Philly during the Depression. My dad brought him home to feed him and Gram just took him in. I never knew he wasn't blood kin until he died. I am so proud she was like that. Gives you something to aspire to.

Lived 20 years near a RR and never knew that. A kid did lose his leg trying to hop a train. He was always a kid doing stupid stuff like that but even after that no one ever mentioned walking the tracks was illegal I used the side from riding my horse thru town.

[deleted]

It’s a solid argument.

I came here to just say this like uhhhh what? Like the train companies want people walking on their tracks so they can happily run us over

Unenforced? Yes. Big difference from unenforceable.

Yes, but you should do it anyways.

All the best fishing spots are a walk down train tracks.

It's private property, so yes it's trespassing.

You just made me think about the movie 'stand by me'...

Well damn, I used to walk home from school as I didn't have a ride. There was a set of train tracks that cut a little over 2 miles off of my trip each day, so I was always walking the tracks to save time.

I never knew this was a law. What about decommissioned tracks? Trains stopped going on our tracks when I was like 6 or so.

Your grandmother was a hero.

A lot of people say this is trespassing on railroad land, but these state and federal laws are in place for safety and to ensure the movement of interstate commerce.

[deleted]

Who knew? I spent half my childhood walking on train tracks. Different times.

"I walk the tracks" ~~ Ray Brower

​

https://preview.redd.it/a2ui7dta5yma1.jpeg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=88882fe78467acf7d7e2e744e784b6011d418cc9

I think it’s illegal federally

If they're decommissioned you're fine

Just a nurturing woman. A good role model .