Do you guys hunt rail roads?

[Deputy Dave]

Try hunting all the creek and river crossing along the route. I just recently dug a coin cache at an old homesite, which was about 50 yrds. From a RR bridge that crossed a creek. If the tracks were used durring the Civil War it's a good chance that they had pickets posted near them to protect them.

 

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[Sluice hunter]

I was also wondering about hunting along RR. I live in a very small town in Ohio and there was a depot built here in the 1850's. The tracks are long gone and theres plans to turn the route into "rails to trails" but theres still the old building and the route is clear. Anyone had any luck on RR?

 

[dustytrails123]

Theres lots of rail road depo's around me some standing some torn down ...the problen is all the iron my detector cant handle it but if it could id be at some of these depo's

 

[ncsilverspider]

I'm a Norfolk Southern freight rail conductor and I lose things all the time climbing up and down on cars. You have to be incredibly careful though because ANY RR property is considered federal property. Many rails often look abandoned, the tracks can look ragged as all #@! but it may be used once a week, once a month, only at night, you never know. just be careful, remember we can't stop like a car or 18 wheeler and can't steer around you. look,listen,live

As everyone else has said, most railroads are government property. You may want to check before going around them. Couple of guys who were just watching trains were asked to leave because it was gov. property.
I have many old rr's wher I live and I am just dying to hunt them, as there was a shop for steamers here but it's state property! I live along the old Southern Route, and have a passion for the Southern and dream of finding rr relics (huge trainnut here). I can't say so sure for you, but good luck, and let us know if you find anything!

Excuse me, cam9457, but I am extremely interested in the Norfolk Southern. I have a passion for the railroad and anything trains. I have checked the ns corporation website over and over again (nice website, btw) but can't find a contact email to get in touch about the possibilities of getting a job. I do not want to apply just yet, just talk to someone. I am a junior ( about to be a senior) in high school, but I'm 18. Is there any way you could possibly help me out? I appreciate all that ya'll do in order to keep Norfolk Southern's trains rolling and bringing new jobs. Thank you so much! I look forward to hearing back! (Oh, and by the way, Southern #630 will be here June 16-17! Cannot wait!) Thank you and God Bless!

 

[THRICK]

I've also had great success around the abandoned lines. Coins, spikes, date nails, bottles, relics, etc, etc. I really like to find the flattened coins kids put on the rails. Brings back memories...

 

[50cent]

As everyone else has said, most railroads are government property. You may want to check before going around them. Couple of guys who were just watching trains were asked to leave because it was gov. property.
I have many old rr's wher I live and I am just dying to hunt them, as there was a shop for steamers here but it's state property! I live along the old Southern Route, and have a passion for the Southern and dream of finding rr relics (huge trainnut here). I can't say so sure for you, but good luck, and let us know if you find anything!

Excuse me, cam9457, but I am extremely interested in the Norfolk Southern. I have a passion for the railroad and anything trains. I have checked the ns corporation website over and over again (nice website, btw) but can't find a contact email to get in touch about the possibilities of getting a job. I do not want to apply just yet, just talk to someone. I am a junior ( about to be a senior) in high school, but I'm 18. Is there any way you could possibly help me out? I appreciate all that ya'll do in order to keep Norfolk Southern's trains rolling and bringing new jobs. Thank you so much! I look forward to hearing back! (Oh, and by the way, Southern #630 will be here June 16-17! Cannot wait!) Thank you and God Bless!

Finders Keepers, property is what you dig up. Just state governments own railroad property does not mean you are not allowed to traverse over them. If anyone tries to arrest you, tell them you are a hobo, and you have constitutional rights. You were stranded, in the woods and you were trying to dig up a food source.

 

[mr_rich]

This thread brought back a memory I thought I'd share:
Years ago I worked for a company in West Chicago which had a old train tracks in back of it. The power company was putting in a power pole about 20ft from the tracks and drilled into what had to be an old dump they brought up old whiskey bottles (broken of course) and other small glass bottles. I bet there was some neat stuff down there. So freshly installed power poles can give evidence of old dumps in the area!

 

[THRICK]

Just found a Canadian 1917 silver 5 cent on the rail bed...

 

[baspinall]

Wow this thread came back to life after being asleep for years! Love it, and yes I will now try the rails ... so many of them around here.

 

[coinbug]

I've found an abandoned railway station that I tried detecting but there was way too much ferrous junk for my Goldbug. Found a lot of interesting old stuff though.

I've spent a fair bit off time hiking on and around RR tracks. RR workers tend to be friendly and couldn't care less about trespassers, and RR police are spread way too thin to present much of an obstacle, at least in the rural areas I frequent.

 

[pkb]

As everyone else has said, most railroads are government property. You may want to check before going around them. Couple of guys who were just watching trains were asked to leave because it was gov. property.
I have many old rr's wher I live and I am just dying to hunt them, as there was a shop for steamers here but it's state property! I live along the old Southern Route, and have a passion for the Southern and dream of finding rr relics (huge trainnut here). I can't say so sure for you, but good luck, and let us know if you find anything!

Excuse me, cam9457, but I am extremely interested in the Norfolk Southern. I have a passion for the railroad and anything trains. I have checked the ns corporation website over and over again (nice website, btw) but can't find a contact email to get in touch about the possibilities of getting a job. I do not want to apply just yet, just talk to someone. I am a junior ( about to be a senior) in high school, but I'm 18. Is there any way you could possibly help me out? I appreciate all that ya'll do in order to keep Norfolk Southern's trains rolling and bringing new jobs. Thank you so much! I look forward to hearing back! (Oh, and by the way, Southern #630 will be here June 16-17! Cannot wait!) Thank you and God Bless!

ncsilverspider, here's a builders print I bought years ago. Have it hanging in my den.

 

[50cent]

I've found an abandoned railway station that I tried detecting but there was way too much ferrous junk for my Goldbug. Found a lot of interesting old stuff though.

I've spent a fair bit off time hiking on and around RR tracks. RR workers tend to be friendly and couldn't care less about trespassers, and RR police are spread way too thin to present much of an obstacle, at least in the rural areas I frequent.

you are in canada the land of nice people. Hobos are frequently shot on sight by rail policemen for trespassing--- in the bad parts of the US.

 

[tamrock]

Years back I would look for the RR builders camps that moved along as the line progressed on the abandoned narrow gauge lines in Colorado. I think found one as there was much old broken glass, nails, shirt buttons and that kind of stuff. I also researched reported train wreck sites, but never went out to look for one, but did have the idea something may be left from it, like personal items thrown from the turned over train cars?. So far spikes, pads, rotted ties and empty buckets of track grease is the most I see along an old RR grade. Still a good place to take a walk and look around.

 

[Bum Luck]

I see lots of track, and find A TON of ferrous junk thrown aside by RR crews, right up to old ties. Heck, they still might dump the toilets right onto the tracks like they used to for all I know.

BTW, you would be trespassing on railroad property, and you're NOT going to get permission to go there.

An active rail line is a dangerous place.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Who would you contact to get permission to search the railroads and otherareas belonging to them?

Poor chance of getting permission, they bury utilities lines on RR right of ways including fiber optics, they don't want anyone digging on them.

Abandon RRs that have been turned into recreation trails for the public is a different story...






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[Nuclear]

Interesting ideas...I had not given much thought to the rails. Hmmmm....I have a few places in mind now! Thanks!

 

[Bum Luck]

Poor chance of getting permission, they bury utilities lines on RR right of ways including fiber optics, they don't want anyone digging on them. Abandon RRs that have been turned into recreation trails for the public is a different story...

Very good point.

 

[Salura]

I don't "beep" railroad lines that still have tracks.

I have done old rail beds where the tracks are gone but you can tell the tracks used to be there, such as Sherman, Wy.

If you know what you're looking for, you can see the foundation of the water tower and a few yards away where the depot was. Keep walking away perpendicularly from the rail bed and you can find old building foundations. There is an old cemetery there too, all fenced off, that can help you home in on the ghost town (ie between the rail bed and cemetery). There is a pyramid shaped monument (Ames Monument) within walking distance to the site of the old town.

I found some old nails, a bucket handle, pieces of pottery, and two mini ball bullets. I've heard that other folks have found old coins there. It is a windswept area, so take precautions against windburn and sunburn.

Sherman, Wyoming Photos II

 

[NHBandit]

Never found much of anything along abandoned rail lines but have had a bit of success around old depots. A friend owns the old Contoocook NH depot & turned it into a museum and I had permission to detect there. Right outside the ticket window in less than a half hour I found 4 Indian head cents and an 1884 Canadian quarter. I gave him 2 of the Indian heads and they are on display in the depot. It's also the site of the worlds oldest remaining covered railroad bridge.

 

[coinbug]

you are in canada the land of nice people. Hobos are frequently shot on sight by rail policemen for trespassing--- in the bad parts of the US.

I recall a few years ago when a local guy was charged with riding the rails from one town to another. There was a minimum fine of $50.00.

The prosecutor said he was charged to send a message to people to not catch a ride on a train, as it was dangerous and so on. The judge said it wasn't much of a message, as the fine was cheaper than a bus ticket.

The RR police here are concerned with safety, and liability. They might give you a ticket, or leave a notice on a camper that you'd parked on their property, but I'd be astonished if they resorted to gun play. I guess we should count ourselves lucky.