And there might have been a time or two where I took a handful of petrified wood, fossils and some sweet quartz specimens. What Im talking about is strictly hobbyist rockhounds. It goes beyond side streets. No national parks, airports, crowds or secure areas were involved. 5 Rockhounding Sites in Pennsylvania (Quartz, Fossils, Petrified Wood and More!). See my Vermont Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. I have previously represented people who have been charged with crimes on railroad property and I can tell you from experience that the penalties for railroad crimes can be shockingly severe. But was it legal? For example, you can only collect rocks on BLM lands if its for personal use and not used to sell. If the HWY dept put them there or they on state owned property then yes, it's illegal cause it's considered theft. Find out more in this article:12 Gemstones You Can Find in Your Backyard Right Now. Collection, excavation or removal are not aided with motorized or mechanical devices, including heavy equipment or explosives. is it illegal to take rocks from railroad tracks It is prohibited in the US. Statute: In a State park an individual may not:. i got 2 pieces of track,one shaped into a anvil,they are awesome to have. While you cannot take huge things like playground equipment or similar items (because those actually belong to someone), no one will be upset or think about any sort of criminal punishment for a kid, or someone from the public who simply wants to pick up a few rocks for their collection. The nearly 140,000-mile U.S. freight rail network is serviced by about 630 freight railroads. Most rocks fall on the side of the road from cars speeding by, wind, or even falling from mountains during rock or mudslides. Can you take rocks from caves? With that said, as you stated as long as you don't take any that serve a purpose then I don't see anyone raising hell over it. With diesel, gotta be longer than one of the trucks. Although you may want to ask while picking up rocks like boulders since they may be there for landscaping purposes or to hide outside wires, its perfectly okay to pick up all sorts of rocks from public parks, pools, or even roads. In Europe safety comes first! in some places. Statute: No person shall remove, damage, deface, disturb or alter any structure, plant, marine or freshwater aquatic life with the exception of lawful fishing, natural or geological feature or property on DRED properties. You must leave rocks, plants, timber, and artifacts in their original locations so that future generations might enjoy them. Thats a good question. Just assume that it is illegal to remove anything from these locations. Statute: No person shall make an excavation on or injure, destroy, deface, remove, fill in, tamper with or cut any real or personal property, tree or other plant life., Also from the States Trail Tips page: Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. Source. TWO 1 foot holes in the same rail. Not only is trespassing illegal, the activity poses a major threat to violators' safety and can cause lasting damage to railroad property. People who submit reviews are either individuals who consulted with the lawyer/law firm or who hired the lawyer/law firm and want to share their experience of that lawyer or law firm with other potential clients. They are railroad property and on railroad property so the answer is no. Is it legal to walk next to railroad tracks? See my New York Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. Thanks for the input everyone. Statute: A person shall not dig up, deface, or remove any soil, rock, historic or fossil materials or artifacts without written permission of the Director of the Division of Parks and Forestry or the Assistant Director of the Division for the State Park Service. Source. Check out the common rocks you can find in the mountains:14 Most Common Rocks and Minerals You Can Find in Mountains. (BLM). If a person has purchased it legitimately than it is not a crime. See my Iowa Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. Statute: No person may damage, disturb or remove any DCR property or resource, real, natural, personal, cultural or historic, except through hunting, fishing, or trapping Source. Statute: Removal of any earth material, including but not limited to rock, sand, gravel, topsoil and minerals, is allowed only with a special written permit from the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation or their designee. Statute: Digging holes, removing geological formations, archeological relics or ruins, or vegetation (except for noncommercial use of edible wild plants, wild fruits, nuts, or fungi) is prohibited. Source. (Find Of a Lifetime!). TIP:Do you what gemstones you can find in your backyard? Typically, where no extra property is owned, the railroad has a 15' wide swath of land along the tracks. See my Kentucky Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. See my Rhode Island Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. This rating indicates the attorney is widely respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. (This regulation does not include removal of firewood from designated firewood areas, noxious weeds as defined by statute, or recreational gold mining within the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, except where prohibited as indicated by posted signs. Contrary to vehicles and barges, freight trains mostly rely on infrastructure they create, construct, maintain, and fund on their own. There are some other stipulations around recreation areas and how you pan for gold, but otherwise it looks youre in the clear. I'm sure you can get creative and find a suitable substitute. One of the awesome things about living in the United States is that millions of square miles has been set aside for the public to enjoy. Operation Lifesaver, Inc., one of FRA's partner organizations, warns photographers and social media users of the dangers of this activity. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Railroad property is private property and access is limited to railroad personnel and those persons who have been granted access by the railroad. You are allowed to keep up to a certain amount (25 lb/day or 250 lb/yer at time of this writing) if you are collecting for your own personal use. If its private property that youre on, then you will need to obtain permission (written or verbal, but preferably written) to collect on the property. Some of the links on our website are affiliate links. http://strangevehicles.greyfalcon.us/SCHIENENWOLF.htm. The railroad right-of-way extends 225 feet on either side of the tracks, and walking or driving in that area is trespassing. If you wish to obtain more than 250 pounds of rock in a year, please visit the local BLM office to arrange to purchase it. We analysed a few years Copyright 2022 Rockhound Resource | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Massachusetts Rockhounding Location Guide, New Hampshire Rockhounding Location Guide. The Client Review Rating score is determined through the aggregation of validated responses. Is It Legal To Rockhound On Public Lands? There are areas along the highway to Lawrence that have what look like ideal rocks falling away from the cutouts beside the road. No matter where you go, there are thousands of beautiful rocks all over the world. Looking at the statue it refers to, we see: Comments: What this all means is that you can pick up rocks and minerals in most areas as long as you dont take too much, you dont sell what you find, and you dont use any tools. For more information on Martindale-Hubbell Client Review Ratings, please visit our Client Review Page. See my Texas Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. I may or may not have takena picture on railroad tracks in my lifetime. Statute: Remove from state-owned land more than the aggregate total weight of 25 pounds, per individual per year of any rock, mineral specimen (exclusive of any gold-bearing material), or invertebrate fossil for individual or non-commercial hobby use. Source. Not only is it illegal, it's very dangerous. See my Nebraska Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. HowtoFindRocks.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Statute: The Department of Parks prohibits all collecting of plants, animals, and geological materials for any purpose, including scientific, unless written approval is obtained from the Commissioner of Parks. ) Source. For everyone's safety, keep subjects off the tracks. Attorneys that receive reviews from their peers, but not a sufficient number to establish a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating, will have those reviews display on our websites. Why is salt on railroad tracks illegal? You should not be taking them without permission. yes unless youve been granted permission its pretty much illegal to take anything that isnt yours with proof nowadays It is illegal to access private railroad property anywhere other than a designated pedestrian or roadway crossing. Statute: No person may destroy, deface, or remove, or disturb, in any manner, any real, personal, or public property, including geological formations or features and historical and cultural artifacts. How do you know the line is abandoned, or how do you know that stack of rail is not sitting on railroad easement/land? There absolutely is abandone That last bit about rockhounding being permitted is important. Can You Take Rocks, Minerals and Precious Stones From Public Land? Statute: No person may destroy, injure, remove or otherwise damage any natural or other state park property. Status: Illegal, but with some exceptions, Statute: The destruction, defacing, or removal of any public property, including trees, plant, signs, and equipment, is unlawful Source. If youre collecting for landscaping or with intention to sell, then you will need to obtain a permit to do such activities on public land. 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