Walking on tracks in Continental Europe

[thenorthern]

With the European migrant crisis the main headline at the moment there has been many images in the news of people walking on rail tracks at both stations and but also along lines between stations it made me wonder what are the rules about crossing the tracks in Europe.

I know in the United Kingdom we of course have a strict no crossing the tracks except and dedicated crossings rule which given the 3rd rail electrification and that trains run fast makes perfect sense.

Please can we keep this thread to talking about walking on tracks and not about the crisis.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The rules are that you don't, as is the signage. The practice is often, particularly in more rural areas, that you can if you want as long as you are careful not to get splatted.

Unlike the UK, lines are normally not fenced.

 

[thenorthern]

The rules are that you don't, as is the signage. The practice is often, particularly in more rural areas, that you can if you want as long as you are careful not to get splatted.

Unlike the UK, lines are normally not fenced.

I remember being in Austria and seeing the rail track running next to the road with no fence which was scary.

In some Countries I know its common for people to put their ears to the track to listen if a train is coming.

 

[Groningen]

In Germany some military servicemembers were killed by trains, because they are (compared to those in the USA) silent.

 

[455driver]

A few years ago a British tourist got hit by a train in Spain (I think), he survived and a couple of railway officials visited him in hospital, to give him the bill for dealing with the incident.

I can remember seeing him on the news bleating from his hospital bed about how hard done by he was and how could they do it to him because it wasn't his fault etc etc.

 

[WestCoast]

Personal liability insurance is very common in Germany. A relative once told me a story of a lady who walked along a (reserved) tram line and was hit by a tram. She was liable to pay for the damage to the tram and the compensation claims of the passengers for whiplash

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Personal liability insurance is very common in Germany. A relative once told me a story of a lady who walked along a (reserved) tram line and was hit by a tram. She was liable to pay for the damage to the tram and the compensation claims of the passengers for whiplash

Reserved tram line? What is one of those when it is at home?

 

[thenorthern]

Reserved tram line? What is one of those when it is at home?

A tram line which is is paved although it doesn't share its route with cars however pedestrians are free to cross the line if they wish to. There are normally kerbstones to mark where the tramway is. Blackpool Tramway is like this.

 

[D6700]

With the European migrant crisis the main headline at the moment there has been many images in the news of people walking on rail tracks at both stations and but also along lines between stations it made me wonder what are the rules about crossing the tracks in Europe.

In Hungary, walking over tracks in/around stations is common, but becoming less so. In some of the recent footage, people can be seen stood next to fences alongside trains - these were erected between platforms to make it more difficult to walk over the tracks than to use the subway/bridge. At some stations, security guards and other staff are present to discourage unauthorised crossing. That said, many stations require users to walk across the railway lines to access platforms, but the attempt is being made to manage this onto official crossings.

Here is an example of such a fence (not my photo):

 

[Bletchleyite]

Personal liability insurance is very common in Germany. A relative once told me a story of a lady who walked along a (reserved) tram line and was hit by a tram. She was liable to pay for the damage to the tram and the compensation claims of the passengers for whiplash

It's also very common in the UK but few people know about it - it is usually provided free with home contents insurance policies and usually not restricted to liabilities arising from the home itself. I expect, though, that if this became well known and claims increased this would soon cease.
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In Hungary, walking over tracks in/around stations is common, but becoming less so. In some of the recent footage, people can be seen stood next to fences alongside trains - these were erected between platforms to make it more difficult to walk over the tracks than to use the subway/bridge.

I guess these Europeans are more compliant than us, as that kind of fence is common on dual carriageways etc but people just jump them.

In the UK I think people are further deterred by the high platforms which make the line seem more distant and thus perhaps more dangerous.

 

[gordonthemoron]

it is quite common for drunken Oktoberfest goers to walk home along the s-bahn tracks, they usually wind up dead

 

[Bletchleyite]

it is quite common for drunken Oktoberfest goers to walk home along the s-bahn tracks, they usually wind up dead

I would be surprised if there wasn't significant after-the-pubs-shut trespass on Arnside viaduct, as the way round by road is miles longer.

 

[thenorthern]

I would be surprised if there wasn't significant after-the-pubs-shut trespass on Arnside viaduct, as the way round by road is miles longer.

I have never known it to be but I think thats down to the fact that there are only about 2 pubs in Grange-over-Sands and most the people in the town are over the age of 70. There used to be a "Mass Trespass" each year though over the viaduct each year.

Regardless of anyone's views of the migrant crisis it must be hell for the Hungarian State Railways as its not just people walking on the tracks there are people holding young children lying down on the tracks which itself is very dangerous and god forbid if any of them got hit by a train then I have no doubt the authorities would be blamed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

OT but...I think in the current crisis the authorities cannot win in the whole public's eye whatever they do. I therefore hope they can follow their morals to find as good a solution as possible.

 

[thenorthern]

What are the rules in the United States for crossing tracks?

When I was in Hong Kong earlier this year most MTR trains had screens to stop passengers from entering the tracks and the ones that didn't have screens had platform heights similar to the United Kingdom standard and the same "keep off the tracks" rule applied.

I remember being at Rugeley Trent Valley when the Olympics were on and there were many announcements about stepping onto the tracks.

 

[Karl]

I would be surprised if there wasn't significant after-the-pubs-shut trespass on Arnside viaduct, as the way round by road is miles longer.

Isn't there now an added walkway along the side of the viaduct after its recent reconstruction? I'm guessing it's for P-way access only though.

It's just ashame the opportunity wasn't taken to make the walkway accessible for public use. I'm sure it would've provided for a popular walk across the Kent between Arnside and Grange-over-Sands. A lot like the Dawlish Seawall walk perhaps?

 

[Tim R-T-C]

What are the rules in the United States for crossing tracks?

When I was down in Arizona, there were a lot of big signs saying 'private property, no trespassing' on the BNSF sub. No warnings about h&s etc.

As all the lines are privately owned, they have their own police forces to deal with things, so there is a BNSF police department for instance.

AFAIK because of the private property laws in the US, if someone is injured while trespassing on marked private property, then they are entirely to blame and it is not the responsibility of the land owner to deter them or prevent their access.

 

[thenorthern]

AFAIK because of the private property laws in the US, if someone is injured while trespassing on marked private property, then they are entirely to blame and it is not the responsibility of the land owner to deter them or prevent their access.

I believe that is the case and if someone is trespassing without authorisation in some states then you are allowed to use Lethal Force.

Some rural lines though run across rural land which is why many steam trains had cow catchers fitted. I know when the Flying Scotsman visited the United States its needed quite a few modifications before it was allowed to run.
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I would be surprised if there wasn't significant after-the-pubs-shut trespass on Arnside viaduct, as the way round by road is miles longer.

I have spoke to a local resident who said that there has been rumours of people walking across Arnside Viaduct at night although the authorities thought there was little point in having BTP officers stationed in the area to try and stop them. I don't know how true this is though.

 

[TheKnightWho]

What are the rules in the United States for crossing tracks?

When I was in Hong Kong earlier this year most MTR trains had screens to stop passengers from entering the tracks and the ones that didn't have screens had platform heights similar to the United Kingdom standard and the same "keep off the tracks" rule applied.

I remember being at Rugeley Trent Valley when the Olympics were on and there were many announcements about stepping onto the tracks.

I would be very surprised if they weren't exactly the same height!

In China I know they have screens on all metro systems (with the odd exceptions), and you'd never get a chance to cross tracks like that on proper trains as you're not allowed onto platforms until your train is very close, and only from the designated waiting area for that platform.

 

[ac6000cw]

What are the rules in the United States for crossing tracks?

The tracks (and the area in the immediate vicinity on either side) are the private property of the railroad company, so it's trespassing if you are on or very close to them. Only real exceptions to that are public highway/foot crossings and places where tracks run within highways (tramway style). Passenger stations effectively grant you implicit permission to be there for the purposes of catching a train/meeting arrivals.

The 'no trespassing' and 'property of' signs are basically there to mark the property boundary, but most of the time there are no signs so you have to use your own judgement as to where the boundary might be.

That said, some of the locals do what they've always done and walk across the tracks wherever they feel like it....In some places where trespass is a particular problem they might put a fence on one side of the track or between multiple tracks to try to force people to use the nearby public crossings.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn't there now an added walkway along the side of the viaduct after its recent reconstruction?

Not public that I know of. Does sound like there is a proposal for a public one, though.

http://www.morecambebay.org.uk/news/arnside-grange-viaduct-cycleway

 

[Ironside]

In Italy the platforms are low so and there are many signs to tell people to only cross at the crossing, written in Italian and English. The crossings being not much more than ballast removed and wooden planking with lowered platform height. Most people followed the instructions at the stations I visited.