Has railfanning ever taken you into unsafe neighborhoods?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
21

Certainly most RR tracks are in the older part of town and things might not be good. I like photographing different short lines, and if you go seeking the Chicago Short Line or the Chicago, West Pullman & Southern (both on Chicago’s South Side), it isn’t always the best place to be.

I used to have the advantage of being a police officer, and did carry a concealed weapon and “Badge Americard”. Identifying myself as an off-duty police officer to folks in the yard office usually allowed me to stand safely out of everyone’s way without anyone getting upset. I am now retired and those benefits are no longer maintained (after 30 years of urban policing, I’ve seen enough to know I don’t want to carry a gun any more).

With that police experience, I would offer the following suggestions if one really wants to get some of those photos in grim areas:

  • If possible, take a buddy or two. There is strength in numbers and more eyes can see more danger. Predators on the street follow many of the same patterns as predators on the old “Wild Kingdom” shows, and are going to pick the weakest possible target.
  • KNOW where you are going. This is far easier than it used to be with the use of on-line maps. Plan your route in, likely good locations, and your route out. Eyeball potential driving escape routes as you get into the neighborhood.
  • Don’t let yourself get so focused on “the shot” that you become oblivious to anyone approaching.
  • To the railfan’s advantage, most trains are active in the morning, before the nightcrawlers get out of bed. Plan your trip into any perceived dangerous area to take place in the morning. Be out of there no later than about 2 PM. Better to plan another trip for another morning than to wait too long.
  • Don’t be afraid to approach folks in those guard shacks near the entrance to industries to request p
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Really fantastic advice. Thanks for posting it. (The one about being in bad neighborhoods only very early is one I’ve always followed myself.)

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While not lessening the risks involved in some locations, not all older or marginal neighborhoods are overly risky. That being said, I would err on the side of caution if I was in a metro area with which I was not familiar. I’m a life-long resident of the Chicago area and have a pretty good notion of what areas are unsafe and which areas just look worse than they are.

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I am also a lifelong resident of the Chicago area, and have been to several places a more reasonable person may not have (further proof that railfanning is a disease…). And i think Bill’s advise is as good as it gets (you should sell it as a handbook…great stuff, right on the money). However, one thing that suprises me, and i may be sheltered i suppose, but i am suprised that there are so few “rail-fan clubs” with which to provide companionship and a bit of orginization to railfanning trips into the city. For myself, none of my friends are railfans, and my father has long sinse lost the desire to go out rail-fanning, so i am often on my own when i got out to these places and those that i run into are also alone, or with perhaps one other person.

Now i am not proposing gaudy tour bus arrangements or anything like that (that could worsen your situation, TARGET…) But a group to facilitate a way to “buddy up” and coordinate trips as well as promoting the hobby ingeneral. Have i missed the boat on this, or are there already this sort of thing taking place? I’d be interested to know.

Bottom line, i think that Bills advice about the “wild kingdom” senario is under-valued. Arm yourself with knowledge of the area, and a bit of confidence, the majority of trouble will pass you by for easier prey. Many of the crimes in these areas are crimes of opportunity. And lastly, and i dont wish to incite, but, dont be afraid of people who dont look like you, many of the areas in chicago deemed ‘unsafe’ by many of us are done so superficially without our full understanding of how certain inherent fear of those we dont ‘understand’ and may can play with our logic, even when we would like to think that we are color-blind and living Dr. Kings dream of understanding. And it plays both ways, i’ve met several people from these neighborhoods who fear comming out to where i live because of being seen as a ta

25

As for Chicago, I think that the everyone has covered the majority of not-so-good spots. I’d second the Blue Island/Dolton area as being one I’d be wary of, but if you go in the morning it isn’t too bad. Of course I’m a hefty kinda guy so I hve a little bit of weight to throw around too. Just be cautious, and as Bill recommended travel with a buddy if you can!

Mike

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Quentin, I do carry a tire pump (that’s how I was able to keep going as long as I did!), and don’t need wrenches to remove wheels or make adjustments on my bike (it takes about ten minutes for me from flat to back on the road with a new tube).

U33B, you just have to broaden your circle of friends–this Forum is a good place to start! It’s so hard, with strange work schedules, etc., to organize a trip on a “club” basis. But if you wanted to ask the Forum about a trip somewhere on a given date, you might get a few “takers” who would be willing to meet somewhere. My most recent trip to Blue Island and Dolton was with CopCarSS and a cousin of his.

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Yes…I was in beautiful Charleston, SC on business last year. I parked my rental car along side the NS tracks in what looked like a poor neighbourhood. Getting ready to do some train watching, I was approached by a rather unsavory looking character who asked me if I was buying or selling. Recognizing a potential problem I kicked him in the family jewels as hard as I could and took off running. That’s when I knew I was set up…suddenly five or six loafers were hot on my tail, and I made it to my vehicle in the nick of time. Got out of there in a hurry…

But I have a question…those NS ties there in Charleston were made of metal…why?

28

**Opens a bag…

Here we go.

Several packs of menthol cigerettes, Several of regulars and one hundreds…

A few dollar bills and a stack of coins. (More later)

Clothes that are nuetral and not a gang color. Learn about Crips, bloods, Vice Lords, latin kings and MS13. Learn thier grafitti and stay clear of those turf areas.

When on foot, dont allow anyone to corner you, stay 6 feet distance and NEVER run in fear. Stand your ground. Display strength and clear mind. Be a lion. You might be very afraid inside your gut but as long as you are functioning (Dont let that voice shake…) you will be ok.

The encounter usually starts "You got a light? (Smoke? Dollar etc) Keep this material in a front pocket.

By the time that person approaches you; usually they have already evaluated you for attack or defense or other personal gain and made thier decision already how the encounter is going to play out… peacefully or with violence. YOU decide how it’s going to go down by your actions, body language etc. Be a Lion. Lions are not prey and they are much harder targets than the weak ones.

Im sorry if this is rather rough and not polite or other high class consideration. That street or corner is just the same as the african jungle. You or them. Anything goes.

In really bad areas, the police will see you as a problem about to happen and frankly dont want it. One clue is they will be two to a crusier and have the 1300 deployed between them up front ready to use.

Take care of thier want and then walk off wishing them a good day but using your hand in a sort of a sweep with the palm out and half down making clear that you dont wish further converstation.

That is how some of these people trap you with converstation that suddenly deteriotes into several issues at once and try to confuse you. So My defense is no words, no problem.

While trucking I used to hire certain people who work that street to keep the rig clear of spray paint grafitti from the loc

29

Dolton and Blue Island, while gritty and blue collar in nature, are truley not bad neighborhoods. All of the aforementioned guidelines definatly apply here, but they are not too rough. Englewood, and portions of East Chicago and perhaps sections of Dearing would be best to avoid though.

~Kevin

30

Hi Gary,

The Duffy Street locale is in a neighborhood known locally as Muscoy. You are wise not stopping as this has traditionally always been a rough neighborhood. [X-)]

Better to trainspot a little further up the grade towards CP Dike (the wash area) or more towards Cajon. Devore Road near Glen Helen Regional Park is a good spot for main line action with easy access from either I-15 or I-215.

31

Does East St Louis count??

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Sorta. There is a sex trade business on the east side of the river that can get dangerous late at night along towards Granite City.

East St. Louis has little to nothing left except the interstate and that is all there is.

Most of the time I stayed at Gateway or Effingham or similar locations and then entered St. Louis early in the morning. Kinda hard for a panhandler to walk 15-50 miles to knock on my door and ask for money.

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I was very glad to stay on Metrolink (or at least on the platform) while I was on the Illinois side last summer. East St. Louis is one of the saddest sights I’ve seen–and that wasn’t even too near to anything that looked like a good train-watching spot.

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If memory serves there is a railyard that has sunk into the mud on the east bank. It is a great yard in size and all of it is kaput.

You think they at least will recycle the steel rails.

35

We moved from there (Swansea) in 2001. I have heard since then that Brooklyn has been all but shut down. There was a lot of interesting railroading spots in that area. I just went early to avoid trouble.

36

One more personal safety rule to keep in mind is to stay off mass transit for the hour or two when school lets out.

Although I wouldn’t railfan a dangerous area on mass transit, when travelling I do railfan via bus, subway, train when I can… and I have found that even in marginal areas that many consider safe, being on a bus or subway when the high schools let out… it can get bad.

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Only a few times, as I don’t go railfanning much at all.

The first time was when I was in Ayer, MA with two friends. Nothing happened, but we stayed together anyway. It was daytime, but I was a little nervous when the sun neared the horizon while we were waiting for our train back.

The other time couldn’t really be called railfanning, but I was driving with my father in Worcester to the train club, and we saw the Providence and Worcester yard job switching, so we pulled into an empty parking lot to watch. The brakeman looked around and said something to the engineer on his radio, so I realized it wasn’t exactly a safe neighborhood, so we left.

Although, other than those two times and a few others, I haven’t really gone on any other railfanning trips.

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[#ditto]

U33B-I live just down the tracks from you in FRG and would love to meet up with other railfans. I’ve yet to meet up with Carl and Jim at Eola yard due to schedules but it would definitely be nice to meet some others personally. Keep me in the loop.

As for Dolton, it is gritty and blue collar but it can and has been a dangerous place. There was a cop killed in that area not long ago while sitting in his car. It was still shocking to the locals but it is safe to say the area doesn’t seem to be improving as much as one would hope. I’d agree that it is likely safer than Dearing. Personally, there are other locations I enjoy much more anyway. Franklin Park area comes to mind.

Mike

39

Pretty much all of metro LA applies here, I used to do alot of work in the industrial parts of town, one project client required a rail spur and they chose a property off Slauson Ave west of the 110 fwy that had rail service, this was after the riots and the area was still very rough.

My grandparents lived nearby next to the Blue line route when it was still owned by SP, so I grew up trainwatching from the front porch, when I was younger I could walk over to the tracks two houses down but by the time I reached my teens the area had really slipped and it was not safe.

Lets see, other crapholes? Vernon (Vermin, as we call it) has lots of train traffic but I can only think of one place that relatively safe, the Metrolink station off Garfield. I would sit in my car and eat lunch there, I watched them tear down that massive factory where the dismal servicing facility now is. If you look behind the south side of the station where the spur cuts between the buildings their a great big 5 building warehouse development, that deveopments one of my designs! Uber-box!

I used to like Riverside Amtrak station, then it got scary back in the 80’s, havent been back since its reopening as a Metrolink station, too far.

Pomona at the Metrolink station or the Antique mall is fairly safe, go a few blocks in either direction, ehhh.

The Harbor? forget it, thats drive thru viewing only, way too scarey, especially in Wilmington or Harbor City south of Dolores.

San Fernando Valley, Ehh, Burbank at the mall where the line splits is OK but farther up near places like Pacoima are very iffy.

I’d rather drive out to where theres less people but even that can be problematic as alot of “Deliverence” extras roaming the wastelends on motorcycles and SUVs also.

For the most part I’ve never had any direct trouble but I have gotten some looks that just screamed “you gotta pretty mouth” at which point I kinda hightail it out of there.

When on

40

As railroaders, we have to travel through some rough spots. When I hired out I found out that most everyone carried a gun, they just don’t advertise it. When I had to walk my train in bad neighborhoods I would usually pick up a stick or a pipe or whatever else I could find and keep it with me.

Knowing where you are at all times is good advice. If you find gang tags all over the buildings and bridges then it’s pretty safe to say you could be in great danger. You have your more well known gangs like the crips, bloods,folk, and ms13, but the lesser knowns who are out to prove something and make a name for theirselves can be just as deadly. One on one most of these so called thugs are nothing. But when do you see them travel alone? You might take one down but you can bet the others aren’t far behind.

Use good judgement when you go out railfanning. If your gut sences danger, then you should probably beat it. I excercise my right to carry a gun, not that I am telling anyone to run out and get one, but having one does make me feel a little safer.