how close is TOO close

If you have to ask, your too close already I would say. Stand atleast 50' away, anything closer and we have no idea of your intentions. I had one guy standing next to the tracks, at the crossing while the gates were down, average guy not a railfan or anything. Next thing I know he's running infront of me to get to the otherside, and I'm going every bit of 70+mph. He was missed by about 6-8' I'd say, and when he got to the otherside he was doing like Rocky with his hands up as though he accomplished something, next time he won't be so lucky. So here's an instance where all is well, than this guy startles me with his actions because I never seen them coming, some folks you can tell what they are up to, not this guy he likes to surprise folks. So with that said, if your 50' or more away, I'd say the train crews would be a bit more comfortable than if you were closer because then your intentions aren't really known be being that close, not that we'd know what your up to at 50' away either.

fjcaron wrote:Next thing I know he's running infront of me to get to the otherside, and I'm going every bit of 70+mph.

Anyone who runs across when the gates are down is a moron. I hope he feels real good about himself, because like you said, next time it will be different.

Here is my advice. Stay far enough away that I can't hit you with a water bottle. 50 feet sounded about right. I had an incident with an "idiot" at Pennington, back in 1990. As the regular engineer on one side of the SEPY/PYSE I made the trip south, every third day. I had this guy, around 18 years old, who used to play chicken with the train. Every trip he was getting a little closer to being hit, as he "worked up his nerve". I was getting tired of him always getting away, and frankly, I wouldn't have given a rats ass, if I had "clocked" him. One day, I decided enough was enough. Reaching inside my cooler, I grabbed a Mt. Dew bottle, about 20 oz., and made my way out the back door of the cab. This was the old style bottle, which was glass, with a foam wrapper for a label. (remember those?) He always jumped to my side, so he could give me a "one fingered salute", as I yelled and blew the horn at him, while knocking along at 50 mph. This day, I went out back, and climbed down the trailing steps. The CNDR was blowing the horn, with instructions not to stop if we hit him. The guy cleared the tracks, and was flipping "me" off, when I planted the full soda bottle into the back of his skull, doing 50. He went down like a rag doll, and didn't get up, as we sailed out of sight. His buddies were there, as they always were, egging him on. For some odd reason, we never saw him, or his friends again. Oh well....... You might not be doing anything wrong, but you never want to be close enough to get hit, or hurt, by dragging or "falling" equipment. I took this guy out for a reason. Some guys on the job don't need a reason. (ever get "hosed" by a water bottle, by a train crew?) A guy did lose his truck, on the Suzy. Parked too close to the railroad, the train derailed, and almost took out a highway bridge, up around Sparta. This guy tried to sue Walter, for loss of his BRAND NEW ford truck. Problem was, he was parked on PRIVATE property (RR property) while tresspassing to take photographs. He "ONLY" lost his truck. With the size of the train wreck, that time, he was lucky to be alive. Train crews are forbidden, by rule, from being near passing equipment, sometimes as far as 150' is the required distance to be, from a passing train. We "earned" those rules, from the blood of those who came before us. It just doesn't make sense, to lose a leg, or an eye, or even your life, for a picture, does it? There a lots of "rails" with those parts sacrificed, in the name of the job. Wanna join 'em? I don't think so. Regards

Good idea with the soda bottle. That's what you do to people who don't respect trains.

Yeah, he was lucky. I know some sadistic SOB's who toss stuff out the window, like brake shoes, wrenches, and big stuff like that. I won't mention by name, the engineer who tossed a monkey wrench off the Kingston trestle, heading south, and punched it through the roof of that house, on the NE corner of the bridge, about 80 feet below. He was aiming at a car, but nailed the house instead!!! We used to have "fire extinguisher" fights, while passing other trains, in sidings. We hosed a cab good, one day, at Bound Brook, and filled the cab with a giant cloud of white powder!!! Those guys looked like a bunch of ghosts, as they bailed off the engine, trying to escape that cloud. You gotta be on your toes, around the railroad. Sometimes the crews are just as dangerous as the trains. Regards

Haha. Another nice idea with the fire extinguisher. I've had crews throw me candy and keychains before.

This day, I went out back, and climbed down the trailing steps. The CNDR was blowing the horn, with instructions not to stop if we hit him. The guy cleared the tracks, and was flipping "me" off, when I planted the full soda bottle into the back of his skull, doing 50. He went down like a rag doll, and didn't get up, as we sailed out of sight. His buddies were there, as they always were, egging him on. For some odd reason, we never saw him, or his friends again. Oh well.......

I'm surprised you'd post that in such detail here. You could have very well killed that idiot, and there's no statute of limitations on that.

I'm OK with "hosing" but throwing anything like a glass bottle is stupid and irresponsible.

I'm rarely trackside anymore, but usually stay 20' back at least, and watch for dragging wire/chains/straps.

"That idiot" also showed no regards for the crew, which was trying to do their jobs. He had that coming..........

Pennington eh? I have heard a story of some kid playing chicken with a train, from a teacher at school (I go to Hopewell), at about the time period you described and standing so close to the train that he got sucked between the cars, he didn't fair too well needless to say. Maybe you don't see the kids anymore because of that? but i'm sure a bottle to this kid may have helped save the kids life. People have to not be morons.

I usually stay at least 20 feet away from the trains I watch on the St. Lawrence & Atlantic... Of course, I usually see them while they're battling grades at 10 mph. The faster the train, the farther I get from the tracks.