Hunting on train tracks?

Train tracks never really scared me, but I can think of a couple of incidents where guys got caught on a railway bridge. :)

Grizz

I know, I know! I could tell a story about that! Maybe another day! Not up to it right now. Involves a buddy, my oldest son when he was a toddler and myself! All on ATC's!
 
Its funny you can tell the guys that have worked around trains and the people that have no clue.
I used to think like many of you, I am smart enough, I will hear it, they are big and loud, I will see it.
You wont.

And just because you dont see the engine does not mean it is not moving towards you, and quickly.

Shawn

Just the other day I saw them them building a train and they'd throw a rail car down the tracks under it's own momentum. No brakes, no people, just waiting for that low friction and a grade to stop it.

And it was moving at a pretty good clip too.
 
Just another note, CN/CP rail lines/property are covered under the Rail Safety Act which is a FEDERAL statue and therefore equivalent to the same powers of search incident to arrest etc as a criminal offence. CN/CP police may choose to give you a ticket with a set fine.
 
Just another note, CN/CP rail lines/property are covered under the Rail Safety Act which is a FEDERAL statue and therefore equivalent to the same powers of search incident to arrest etc as a criminal offence. CN/CP police may choose to give you a ticket with a set fine.

but I doubt they have the authority or stamina to do a "body search" do they?
 
Just the other day I saw them them building a train and they'd throw a rail car down the tracks under it's own momentum. No brakes, no people, just waiting for that low friction and a grade to stop it.

And it was moving at a pretty good clip too.

Happens all the time, its called kicking. They only do it where there are other cars with brakes on down the track to stop the kicked car, it is in a bowl where cars will not be able to get up the hill on the other side, or there is a person down the track/riding the kicked car to put the brake on the car.

Or at least they are supposed too, I am sure it is done unsafely some times. LOL

Shawn
 
Happens all the time, its called kicking. They only do it where there are other cars with brakes on down the track to stop the kicked car, it is in a bowl where cars will not be able to get up the hill on the other side, or there is a person down the track/riding the kicked car to put the brake on the car.

Or at least they are supposed too, I am sure it is done unsafely some times. LOL

Shawn

Switching is the part of railroading that is an art form. Kicks as you mentioned but everyone's favourite were the drops. Management takes a dim view of this particular move. They came in two variations, the second being the 'Dutch Drop" my personal favourite. You needed three guys on the ground but it allowed you to set out cars when the switches all worked against you. You wound her up, bunched, pulled the pin, really wound her up this time and went past the switch with the engine. Switch was lined, you backed in the power to clear, switch was lined again and the cars allowed to roll by. Your unit was now on the other end of things and away you go. Lots of room for error as you can imagine.

Hump yards are a neat idea. They make up huge trains in a short time. They control the cars with 'retarders'. They squeeze the wheels against the rail by remote control. Winnipeg has a good example of one of these big yards.

Some one mentioned buying ties. By the time they are changed out these days, not much left. If you know someone who is on the maintenance side they may be able to line you up with some decent stuff.
 
I walk the tracks all the time to get to certain fishing locations. It's apparently not legal, but I've never had an issue. I see shotgun shells along the tracks all the time.

Back in the day when there were cabooses on the trains, I knew a guy that used to hunt pheasants off the caboose while working.

It all came to a stop when there was an accident and the guys in he yard had to slide a ceiling repair into the work schedule without management hearing about it....

Rail lines are private property. Enforcement varies. YMMV.

Cheers
Trev
 
Switching is the part of railroading that is an art form. Kicks as you mentioned but everyone's favourite were the drops. Management takes a dim view of this particular move. They came in two variations, the second being the 'Dutch Drop" my personal favourite. You needed three guys on the ground but it allowed you to set out cars when the switches all worked against you. You wound her up, bunched, pulled the pin, really wound her up this time and went past the switch with the engine. Switch was lined, you backed in the power to clear, switch was lined again and the cars allowed to roll by. Your unit was now on the other end of things and away you go. Lots of room for error as you can imagine.

Hump yards are a neat idea. They make up huge trains in a short time. They control the cars with 'retarders'. They squeeze the wheels against the rail by remote control. Winnipeg has a good example of one of these big yards.

Some one mentioned buying ties. By the time they are changed out these days, not much left. If you know someone who is on the maintenance side they may be able to line you up with some decent stuff.

We are not allowed to drop at all anymore

Shawn
 
So, what's the best cartridge for train defense?!? I hear a 30-06 wont DRT a train. What bullet would best reach the boiler room? Lol
 
The Railway Act is a very powerful piece of legislation, John A did set it up that way. Chretien pulled many teeth on this legislation. When I started we were not allowed to speak to any kind of police including the RCMP without permission from the super level. This included fatalities. They decided what was released and when. Early 80's we removed a body from the caboose and proceeded under direction of our train master while the RCMP went nuts. Long story. Needless to say upon arrival at home terminal we were greeted and detained at the nearest detachment. The super went into the room and I waited outside, never did give a statement to the police on that one. The police were not allowed to enter the property without permission from the CN Police ( this as much for safety of all concerned). These restrictions are no longer in place but were well into the 90's. CN was not restricted by local building codes or required to pay municipal tax, not sure what the current status is on that.

The hi-rails used for maintenance work are customised and narrow wheel base. The steering wheels are locked while on rail and they do not stop well. They get on and off at crossings. They also do not activate crossing signals most times.

Looky..... it is against the rules to dump garbage on the right of way. Turn it into provincial environment office, were there work gangs staying there? Subcontractors, no doubt, but railway is still responsible.

Mostly still this way. I cannot be compelled to talk to the police.

Railway matter. Move on.

Should have seen their faces last time I said that.

If I talk, I get in poop by my company so before anyone loses their mind, I have to do that.
 
Just the other day I saw them them building a train and they'd throw a rail car down the tracks under it's own momentum. No brakes, no people, just waiting for that low friction and a grade to stop it.

And it was moving at a pretty good clip too.

Meh.

Lined up, back with a kick.

Stop.

Easy peasy. Done it hundreds of thousands of times.
 
Switching is the part of railroading that is an art form. Kicks as you mentioned but everyone's favourite were the drops. Management takes a dim view of this particular move. They came in two variations, the second being the 'Dutch Drop" my personal favourite. You needed three guys on the ground but it allowed you to set out cars when the switches all worked against you. You wound her up, bunched, pulled the pin, really wound her up this time and went past the switch with the engine. Switch was lined, you backed in the power to clear, switch was lined again and the cars allowed to roll by. Your unit was now on the other end of things and away you go. Lots of room for error as you can imagine.

Hump yards are a neat idea. They make up huge trains in a short time. They control the cars with 'retarders'. They squeeze the wheels against the rail by remote control. Winnipeg has a good example of one of these big yards.

Some one mentioned buying ties. By the time they are changed out these days, not much left. If you know someone who is on the maintenance side they may be able to line you up with some decent stuff.

EHH ripped our hump out. Too bad. Class yard was fun...and scary
 
I guess the CGN rails on here have derailed this thread. Yes, I did that. The railroad is a complicated work place with a lot going on that is not apparent to the uninitiated. It is a deadly place to work when things go sideways. People will continue to use the right of way to get to places, it is just too convenient. Please keep in mind the dangers that have already been mentioned. As I was reading through this thread another danger occurred to me. When you are proceeding on the right of way and a train is approaching. Remove yourself as far from the movement as possible. Why? Say there are lumber loads. Say a banding has broken and there is a 10 foot piece of thin sharp metal capable of cutting you in half coming at you at 45per. You won't see it but you will feel it. Same goes for boom chains.

The best bullet for trains? The front windows are bulletproof so a broadside is preferred. Only got shot at twice. I was on the caboose both times and the first bullet (pretty sure it was a 22) hit about two feet below the cupola window. I was sitting in the cupola at the time with window open and heard the impact. Put a dint in the steel. That definitely spooked me. The next time and they took out a trailing window while I was sitting in the rear desk. Again probably a 22 as it only took out the outer pane. In the states it is epidemic, people like shooting at trains. Go figure.
 
So, what's the best cartridge for train defense?!? I hear a 30-06 wont DRT a train. What bullet would best reach the boiler room? Lol

I have talked to WW2 pilots who flew Mosquito fighter/bombers. Their job was to fly at night at such low altitude as to be below radar sight and raise all the hell they could over enemy territory.
Their favorite target was to catch a train travelling, fly over it from behind and let loose with the 20mm when they came to the engine. Of course, they were steam locomotives then and the fellows said it was a great night display when the boiler blew!
 
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