Ok so where or who can I go to at a yard, CSX is right near here, that I can go and ask about shooting photo’s of trains in the yard? Or in the building where they are being worked on? I can get quite a few photo’s of most of the trains through Columbus (OH) but I would love to go into the yards and get some better photos.
Any help would be appreciated.
Dean
While I don’t live in Columbus my best guess is there is nobody to whom you could go, or nowhere you can go to get access to the inside of railroad yards or shops in Columbus, OH to photograph locomotives or cars for liability reasons.
Go to the yard office or other place where the public may have access, but don’t expect a warm reception, or permission. The days of “sure, go anywhere you want” are long past. In fact, you might even get an escort back off the property.
Much easier to confine your photography to public property (or places where you otherwise have permission to be).
If you can develop a good relationship with local staff, you might get cut some slack over time.
If you do get some sort of permission, be it specific or a “wink and a smile,” don’t abuse it.
Tree said it best, but I’ll add some personal experience. The best success I have had with CSX is with smaller yards. I always try to find the trainmaster, dispatcher, or someone who has authority over the property. I explain to them who I am, show them ID, and ask permission to take photos of a specific subject. The bigger yards (Radnor Yard in Nashville, for example) almost always say No; trainmasters and dispatchers don’t like the idea of an outsider wandering around unescorted, because the railroad wants them to enforce trespass laws.
But you can try a different approach with CSX. On their website, you click on the “media” button. There is a form you can fill out there requesting permission to visit the property. You have to be very specific (citing milepost numbers as the limits to your visit) and CSX says you must submit your request six weeks in advance- and there is no guarantee you will get a response.
The other thing that leads to great success in getting photos is promising prints to the people you take photos of, and delivering. There is one small yard in Tennessee that I have visited, who let me on the property, once they understood that I wasn’t out to climb on their equipment or distract workers. I burned up two rolls of film on a variety of things, mostly people, and developed a few friends when they caught my prints in their emails or snail mail boxes.
If you are going out to take photos for publication, or even public posting on the Web, it’s best to clear the photos through the people you shot. Like everyone, they don’t want to be embarrassed, or get in trouble for something that may look completely innocent to you. (I took photos of a trainman doing what I thought was routine switching and train makeup. He asked me not to post the photos, because he wasn’t wearing mandatory ear protection and was riding cars- using handbrakes to spot them. Both were violations of
2 words SAFETY and RESPECT
be aware that trains can be on any track at anytime.some people on the railroad are more friendlier than others but do not push it.Also be respectful of others property when taking pictures of trains.please take pictures leave footprints.
stay safe
joe
hmmm guess I’ll just take the photes when I can get them.
Thanks for the info guys. I pretty much assumed as much. Not sure if they had someoen to do media type things for those who are not media.
Thanks
Dean
Dean
if you can survive the rt 23 speedtraps and have a way to Marion thats a nice place to see trains.
stay safe
joe
what speedtraps? hehe. I come up 33 to 42 and than over to 23 that is about 2/3 of the way through Delaware. I hate the south side of 23. And there is no road in Ohio that I dislike. In my work job I am a tractor trailer operator (at times) and I do love the roads in Ohio.
What place near Marion is a good place to look? Now I am curious.
Dean
Eventhough I have only made it over there a couple times since, I was over there in Green River at night taking long exposures of the UP yard from the pedestrian bridge, and as I was leaving I was stopped by the GRPD, they said that UP called, and said we looked suspicious. So I have started calling the office there and letting thme know that I am there and what my intentions are. Mainly I do this just to keep them from calling the GRPD. Becasue if you are ever in Green River, You need to know, that the City police are huge in force for the size of the town, and have almost nothing to do. I also hope that this gets me into some peoples good graces in the yard office.