I use to pick up coal next to some tracks that the TVA spilled ( I buy coal now ) the last time I did it a sherif depuaty got his gun out on me because he thought I was picking up spikes, I told him it was coal then had to explain the diffrence between a blacksmith and farrier before he reholstered, so now older and wiser I stay off the dern rail road tracks

He saw you were picking up spikes and he drew his gun on you, that it absolutely ridiculous. The first thing cops do when they see anyone doing anything they don't like is draw there guns, I don't understand how just picking things off the ground requires the threat of death from cops. Yes I understand that it is illegal to pick up anything along the tracks, but just picking up things is not threatening at all, and there is no reason for cops to threaten your life! This type of junk is why I loath almost all cops I meet. In general they all seem to be bad people that are on huge power trips.

MLMartin; my SiL was a LEO; you only have to attend a few funerals of cops gunned down at scenes of folks doing "nothing threatening" to begin to understand their caution. Especially in places where they have no back up and there are not many people about. And yes I have been held at gunpoint before by a cop. Not a fun experience.

In Tucumcari, NM a few years ago on of the guys was taking pictures of the train depot before it was refurbished and the Railroad Police got a hold of him, you would have thought he was stealing the place by taking pictures of the place. He wasn't going behind the perimeter fence or anything, the guy is an artist and likes old buildings, but he was busted and the RRP called the local police to put him in lockup and when they found out he was an artist there for the iron pour they cut him loose but the RRP guy just knew that couldn't be right. Se he did everything he could to prove criminal activity, his supervisor finally came from Albuquerque and told him to quit making a fool of himself and give the guy back his camera. Some of those RRP can be real nuts so watch out when you bend over to pick up that spike. Another old timer there in Tucumcari also told how one old lady always crossed the RR track to visit her daughter and the RRP cited her for trespassing and she had crossed there for 25 years. He told the judge he was only following the law.

Got me a local source for spikes now. $1/lb in bulk FOB Portland. I'll be making photocopies of my receipts, just in case.

Back in my college days (late 50's) we had a hostage situation on RR property. City, state , county and RR police were there. The hostage taker walked by a window with a RR cop outside and received both barrels from a 12 gauge. I was struck then that if it had been one of the other jurisdictions, there would have been an investigation into at least use of excessive force although it seemed a good end with no innocents hurt. For the RR cop it was back to business the next day, no questions asked.

Saw this ad flash up on a website today.

http://www.beyondourrails.org/safety/better-safe\

Take a walk on the wild side and come on my property to harvest something you think you might could use from my scrap pile. A lot of people have forgotten the stuff you learned in kindergarten. Leave other peoples stuff alone. I will promise you that if emergent care vehicles need passage the train WILL move ( perhaps slowly but it will move ).

People getting arrested at my buddies scrap yard isnt uncommon. happened several times this year already..Whenever there is a big theft the RR cops just watch the scrap yard and arrest them when they come in..My buddy does get RR scrap from several approved sellers though..You can buy all the RR scrap you want from the scrap yard..No need to steal it, its laying all over the scrap yard for cheap..