Part of our track runs though a residential area next to a road(there's about a 30ft grassy area between the track and road). People are always walking on the track and climbing on cars when we have some there. Most don't want to cause trouble but are also dumber than a bag of rocks and a liability to us.

What ways have you guys secured railroad/museum property to keep the curious away from your equipment? A 10 foot high chain link fencing with razor wire would work but doesn't really look nice. Any ideas to keep the unwanted out while not looking like a prison?

Thanks
Clay

How about a wrought iron fence or their steel cousins of the modern era?

I am not endorsing this manufacturer but they have a good picture of what I had in mind.

http://www.keynshamforge.co.uk/services.php

Luther

I suggest going with the cheapest wire fence imaginable (about 4' high) to discourage casual trespassers. What i have in mind would be like a common row fence intended to keep livestock off the tracks. Post some signs at a regular interval and be done with it. You will never stop people that are determined to trespass. Fences are expensive. I do not think you'll do better price wise and it will look "railroad".

Another approach would be to research what kind of fences were used historically along your line and go with one of those.

If the portion of your right of way you're referring to is not contiguous with the museum grounds, my advice would be to let it be. Post "No Trespassing" signage at access points and at intervals along the ROW. That should cover the liability end of things. Deter the idiots by not spotting cars there unless necessary. But otherwise, treat it like any Class 1 would treat a residential branch line or switching lead.

My suggestions come from my professional points of view. My 'real' job is that of Deputy Sheriff, and I moonlight at a nearby shortline. If you fence the ROW, it will end up cut or otherwise compromised in some way. This is especially true if people are used to taking a shortcut along the ROW. I've never seen a fence that couldn't be hopped, except at a state prison. The average criminal wouldn't know a historic 40' box car from a modern well car, so play to that ignorance. By not fencing the ROW, it looks relatively unimportant, like most other rail lines he may have seen. Let them think that your museum line is just another rail line. Other than the threats of graffiti and component removal, which you're accepting by storing cars there in the first place, what can be done to a spotted car. (I suppose someone could knock the brakes off and send it rolling, but they'd have to break inertia first...)

In a nutshell, I'd go for the 'invisible in plain sight' approach, and save the money spent on fencing for a car barn.

I could see the case being made that you recognized that there was a dangerus condition by erecting the fence in the first place, and if the fence was breached, not repaired and someone went through that breach and was hurt then the opposing attorney could use that against you. He could say that you were negligent in not repairing the fence in a timely manner.

Rail equipment parked on unfenced tracks is a very common occurrence, is standard industry practice and therefore does not pose an undue risk. No trespassing signs is a must though.

I agree with NPaul and Stationary Steam. At the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, we have posted "Railroad Property, No Trespassing" signs around the property. I wonder how many other museums just use signs instead of fences?

Les

Thanks for the replies.

The biggest problem isnt people so much wanting to steal and damage stuff its total idiots. For example(I probably should of said this in the OP), a few weeks ago I was working on a coach and engine that was in the area mentioned. Went to grab something out of the shop and left the coach opened up. I come back and there is a group of 6-8 there(2yrs-25ish), walking around inside the car and climbing on the engine. It would be an extreme stretch for them to think the car was "on display" so I'm not sure why they were doing what they did. It was obvious that they didn't want to cause trouble and just wanted to see the train. When I walked up and polity told them to leave, they did, but seemed to think that there was absolutely nothing wrong with what they were doing.

For stuff like that I think a simple fence would keep them back. Thoughts?

Any other suggestions are welcome.

One of the problems with signs is that some people just don't notice them. Ever notice TV commercials that have both a "text crawl" and a "voice-over"? Those of us who are "printed-word-minded" and tend to focus-in on any kind of sign message have to remember that a lot of folks are more "ear-minded", and respond more readily to audible messages. "Hey Dummy! Can't you read?" is a bit harsh, but some people, who really do have the ability to read, don't use it any more than they have to. This is where fences are useful; they won't stop a determined intruder (think Maginot Line) but they'll stop casual wanderers. Orange Empire "bit the bullet" and installed fencing around the property many years ago. It's not 100% protection, but it lets everone know where our land begins.