a buddy and I were on our way to scout out a nice looking building, the only way up to it is to take a set of train tracks, on our way up to it about half way down the tracks we heard a shrill beeping noise, we high tailed it outta there, any tips for avoiding these kind of alarms?

I have never heard of these things existing, apart from motion sensors in subway (or light rail) tunnels.

I would figure out where the noise is coming from exactly and confirming that you really have tripped an alarm and it's not just some normal trackside signalling equipment that needs attention.

Response times for those places typically involved orders of tens of minutes, so you should have plenty of time to get away.

it was definitely an alarm, I tripped one that sounded exactly like it about 2 months ago at a state park taking a shortcut to on of my favorite hiking spots, about 3 minutes later (if that) a state trooper was flying down the track on a quad yelling at me, he took me back to a patrol car and was talking about how someone cut a lock on the fence to get onto the track, which is bullshit, I just hiked through the woods until there wasent a fence lol

You ran into one of these...

https://www.google...6460,d.eW0&cad=rja

Posted by Send4Help You ran into one of these... https://www.google...6460,d.eW0&cad=rja

thanks, now that I know what to look for, ill try my best to stay out of its view, although i didn't notice anything for all of those dohickies to be mounted on, but now that I know what to look for, ill see if i can find it.

Posted by b-rye thanks, now that I know what to look for, ill try my best to stay out of its view, although i didn't notice anything for all of those dohickies to be mounted on, but now that I know what to look for, ill see if i can find it.

There is more literature out now about them. The article I linked to was from the original publication when they were in their testing phase. The current ones come in a few versions that can include OR not include: cameras, audible alarms, motion sensors, etc. So, you may only have to look for one little box and not a pole with 10 things mounted to it.

I love learning about new things...

So if a "Magnetometer" is what senses a train through its inductance, same thing used in many traffic lights to sense cars. You could have a strong magnet on you and place it by the magnetometer. Unless it is calibrated to specific size trains at certain times, you are fine. A hard drive magnet should be strong enough, if not neodymium magnets of the N40 and N45 grade with 10+ pounds of force will work.

"DOT calculated the statistical value of a life to be $3 million, in terms of 2001 U.S. dollars"

I actually posted a thread a while ago about alarms on train tracks, seems that they do exist after all

I walked across an active rail bridge once. Had cameras on both sides.
And I got caught.

Posted by Send4Help There is more literature out now about them. The article I linked to was from the original publication when they were in their testing phase. The current ones come in a few versions that can include OR not include: cameras, audible alarms, motion sensors, etc. So, you may only have to look for one little box and not a pole with 10 things mounted to it.

Really great link, mang.

Ive seen those electronic billboards with a security cage around it. I was walking tracks that day and set off the alarm.

That's funny, I don't think any of these are implemented in Canada (as far as I can remember, I haven't set off alarms while walking along railway tracks).

Fortunately our country is not nearly as paranoid as our friends to the south. And our governments are far less willing to blow vast amounts of money on turning the country into one giant police state..... but i digress as im sure its only a matter of time before we see this nonsense here too. To be frank, if your dumb enough to let a train hit and kill you, perhaps your time was up anyway?

That's funny, I don't think any of these are implemented in Canada (as far as I can remember, I haven't set off alarms while walking along railway tracks).

Yes, pretty easy to not get hit by a train. Don't be on the tracks.

In the PDF linked above, I found it amusing that their study location bridge had an easily walkable path on one side of the bridge where there were no tracks at all. Of course, study camera footage showed some (idiots) walking on the track side. Others walked on the non track side. And the study shows that they "potentially saved a life" if they yelled at a person who was not walking on the track minutes before a train came through. That's really effective.

If the place is just a generic, run down abandoned building I really doubt the tracks have motion detection involved. I would only expect to run into that kind of thing if the tracks cross or go near a border, if theres federal/military land involved. I'm sure that kind of technology costs a lot to operate and wouldn't be wasted on your run of the mill abandoned warehouse.

Good to know.

If the tracks had a self powered automated track switch to change to a different track or spur they have very loud horns and warning lights when active.
If you get caught between the hydraulic actuated moving parts they can take off your foot, etc.
Active tracks are very dangerous especially if you don't know what you're doing.
Never walk a high speed rail.

Was it union pacific, BNSF, Kc southern? what railroad