Home	Railfans Welcome!		Last updated 02/26/08		Change Log
	A Database of Public Locations for Train Watching.
	Since September 11, 2001 (which btw was my 50th birthday), security		Operation Lifesaver's Railfan Tips & Security Advisory
	everywhere has become a major issue, and has had an adverse affect
	on the railfan community. There have been countless reports of		BNSF Railway Asks Rail Fans for Cooperation
	railfans being asked to stop what they are doing and leave, even		To Keep America's Rail System Safe
	when they are on public sidewalks or roads. In a few extreme cases,		http://newdomino.bnsf.com/website/crs.nsf/request?open
	cameras and scanners have been confiscated and arrest threatened.
	The locations in this database are places where it might be assumed		Citizens for Rail Security
	that people may have cameras and be taking pictures of various		To report suspicious activity, contact BNSF’s
	things around them.		Resource Operations Center at (1-800) 832-5452.
	Some of these facilities were built with railfans in mind, but most are
	public areas that just happen to be on a Railroad.		The Photographer's Rights
			http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm
	Included are parks, bicycle and hiking trails, overpasses with good
	sidewalks, "common railfan locations" where local and railroad police		This website, written by an attorney, specifically tells you
	are known not to bother railfans, pedestrian bridges and many other		what your rights are, what your rights aren't and what to do
	railfan spots. Some of locations are not great locations for photos,		about it if you are harrassed when trying to photograph trains.
	but all are trouble-free places to watch and enjoy trains. When you		While not directly involving railfanning, this information
	are railfanning, it would always be a good idea to have a couple		applies to all people who photograph public places within the
	railfan type magazines If you are questioned by authorities and they do not		public domain, which makes it an especially valuable tool to have.
	understand railfanning, the magazines may help you to explain. In
	any event, if you are approached by local or railroad authorities,		This web page also contains a link for the book "Legal Handbook
	talk with them in a professional and respectful manner, and do not		for Photographers—The Rights and Liabilities of Making Images".
	take an attitude. Remember, they are doing what their boss pays them		I strongly urge all railfans to order a copy of this book and
	to do, just like you do when you are earning a living. If you take an		study it carefully. It can be purchased for about the cost of
	attitude and are rude with them, they will most certainly make your		processing 2 or 3 rolls of 35mm film.
	day miserable. It is interesting to note that two contributors to this
	list are railroad police officers (no, you will not see their names on		Please study it and use the information wisely. If you are
	the list below), and one of them has shown this web site to railroad		approached by Local or Railroad Law Enforcement Officers, by
	management. Other railroad employees have contributed to this web site.		all means, act professionally and DO NOT be confrontational.
			These Officers are only doing their job, just like you do when
	This project started when I read about the newly built Flatonia Texas		you punch the time clock to earn your living. If they ask for
	Rail Park in the February 2003 issue of Trains Magazine. Seeing that		Identification, cooperate with them. Refusing to provide the
	article and picture got me to wondering about how many other similar		requested identification documentation will almost certainly
	facilities exist besides Rochelle, Illinois and Deshler, Ohio. Then I		result in a trip to jail. Most often, they will ask for a
	remembered Herrlinger Park on Union Street in Troy which I frequently		Driver's License and Social Security number (which is on some
	visit, and Roscoe Roof Park in Carlisle, Ohio - not rail parks built for		state's Driver's Licenses). Like it or not, you SSN is used to
	railfans, but none the less, parks where railfans can go and not worry		track records within the national law enforcement community.
	about being run off by the railroad or local police. I have recently		Chances are that if you cooperate and are professional, you may
	started adding "common railfan areas" that are not public property when		be allowed to continue what you were doing, and at the worst, may
	I am assured that railfans are never bothered.		be asked to leave the location. if you are asked to leave, do so,
			and let me know so that I can remove the site from this web page.
	The locations in this database come from various sources. A few are		If you are asked to leave, consider that there are many other
	places that I have visited, a few from friends and other railfans, and		good locations for train watching. And always remember how much
	some were researched in various publications and web sites. Locations		more difficult it would be to pursue your hobby if your interest
	listing GPS coordinates have been confirmed by myself or other		was watching commercial or military aircraft instead of trains!
	contributors listed below. Uncomfirmed locations are marked as such, and
	I would appreciate your help in confirming the other locations. If you
	do not have a GPS unit, I can get the coordinates from a map.		PhotoPermit.org
			http://www.photopermit.org/
	When visiting these locations, please observe park rules and regulations,
	stay off the tracks and inside fenced areas. If you are approached by		PhotoPermit.org is another web site dedicated to keeping
	railroad employees or local authorities and asked to leave, do not argue		photographers out of trouble, and supporting them when
	with them and follow their instructions. Then report the incident to me		trouble looms.
	and I will remove the location from this listing.
			This web site includes several forums for photography
	I need your help to document Railfan-Friendly Train Watching Locations		related rights issues.
	that are not in this database, as well as Scanner Frequencies and
	Train Symbols.
			National Press Photographers Association
	Here is what I am looking for:		Memo On Photographers'Rights
	Parks, hiking trails, historic sites, scenic view pulloffs, restaurants		To Take Pictures In Public Places
	with either outdoor seating or window seating with views of the railroad,
	trackside museums (such as old depots), street overpasses with wide
	sidewalks or pedestrian bridges, trackside hobby shops or other		National Public Radio Broadcast
	businesses that openly welcome railfans (that can be confirmed by email		about Photography Security Concerns
	or phone calls), railroads that offer liability releases, or public		by: Joel Rose
	property such as city or county owned vacant lots and other places where		http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4705698
	railfans commonly hang out and are never bothered that can be confirmed.
	I do not want sidewalks at grade crossings, private or publicly owned
	parking garages, passenger stations (unless it is a "common railfan		The Washington Post published an article on
	location" where station management is aware that railfans use the location		Sunday, June 20, 2004 promoting railfanning
	and do not run them off), school and college campuses, etc.		and listed 5 DC area locations that are
			popular with railfans. The original article is
	When sending suggestions for additions to the database, please provide		available for a fee from the online archives at
	addresses or cross-street locations and details about restrooms, nearby		www.washingtonpost.com
	restaurants, convenience stores, etc.		The text of the article is reproduced here
	Send corrections and information about locations to add this list to:
	Dave Marshall		Sunrise - Sunset Times
			Click on the nearest city to the area that you are
	You will find some web links in the database listings. Links in the Facility		railfanning to see sunrise and sunset times
	column on the name of the facility go to web sites for the Facility. Links on
	the GPS coordinates either go to either a map  for the location.
	Credits:
	Various issues of Railfan & Railroad and Trains magazines
	Kalmbach Books Guide to North American Railroad Hot Spots
	Various web sites
	Some Latitude/Longitude coordinates are from Delorme Street Atlas USA v8.0
	Trainorders.com message boards
	Various email reflectors
	The following list of contributors includes those who have submitted
	Frequencies, Train Symbols and Reporting Marks
	Tony Alexander	Jeffrey Kirk
	Tom Algatt	David Kittner
	Chris Anderson	David Klinger N0MNR
	Ron Angle K6KYJ	Erik Landrum K8DTI
	Victor Baird	Alex Lang
	Warren Bascom	Harry Leist
	Matthew Beasley	Allan Love Jr
	Tom Beckett	Jack Lund
	Karl Bloch	John Marcel K1FDD
	Tim Boshart	Gregory Mazzie
	Alex Braunstein	Sam McCoy
	Andrew Britton	Grady McKinley
	Paul Brown	Steve McMullen
	Ted Buehler	Mark Meece N8ICW
	Steve Buersmeyer	Terry Mefford N8WEL
	Lynn Burke	Michael Meisener
	Dale Burns	Timothy Metzger
	Jim Burrill	David Miller
	Eric Burris	Steve Miller
	Charlie Buccola	Robert Milward
	Dave Buermann	Roger Mitchell N0MCR
	Marvin Bush	Daniel Monroe
	Rich Buzby	Margaret Monroe
	Robert Carter	Michael Mosher
	Joahua Chlapek	peter Montville
	Jason Ciastko N9ZSY	Eddie Muro K2EPM
	Dan Clark	Tom Overall
	Todd Clark	Robert Palmer
	Gregory A. D'Alessio	Jarod Pearson
	Geno Dailey	Tom Persoon
	Tony Dannemiller KC8VHG	Joe Pike
	Dale Davies	Nicholas Pitsch
	Bob Davis	Eric Powell
	Eric Davis	Thomas L Reed
	Chris Dees KD4YGG	Gerard Reminiskey KG6OXF
	Tom Doerr	Kirk Reynolds
	Phil Dutcher	Rob Richardson
	Judson Fisher	Scott Ridenhour
	Bill Foster	Steve Rippeteau
	Dave Frederick	Laurence Rohter
	Brian Frierdich	Ben Russell
	Steve Frock KB8QHE	Jim Russell
	Tom Fuchs	Dean Sauvola
	John Gezelius	Kerry Scaife
	Bob Gile	Larry Seale
	Philip Gilston	Steve Sedaker
	Daniel Gladstone	Brian Schmidt
	Greg Goffinet	Kent Schneider
	Dan Goins	Jenny Schwartz
	Ed Greenberg	John Shuniak
	James Guffey	Larry Slaughter
	Robert Gundrum	Scott Snell
	Bill Gustason	Andy Snope
	Greg Hager	Stephen Sozio
	Don Hallenbeck	John Stashik
	David Halloran	Steve Steele
	Justin Hardecopf	Leland Stewart
	Danny Harmon	William Stewart
	Dirck Harris	Tim Stratton
	George Harris	Tom Swisher WA8PYR
	Carl Harrison	Daryll Symington N8EBR
	Roger Hepkema	Ken Szok
	Joseph Hinson	Travis Taylor
	Richard Hitchcock	Timothy Tonge
	John Hopkins	Chris Toth
	Clyde Howard	Shawn Vermillion
	Michael Huggins	Corey Vernier
	Neil Huss	Dave Voss
	Bill Huston	Charles Warczinsky
	Michael Jahn	Frank Weed
	William Jameson	Warren Whitby
	Martin Johnson	Chris White
	Vlad Kedrovsky	Dave Williamson
		Jim Willis