Scrapping Rail Road Steel?

[1969 CJ-5]

An old Railroad borders the back of my property here in missouri. The last time a train ran there was 60 years ago. It has been abandoned for so long that the rail ties have rotted mostly away and I have picked up several rail spikes with no effort at all. Some of the locals say to scrap it or use the rails to build my fences with. Others are wary of touching it. Some of the Amish I know have been using and scrapping bits and pieces or the line in other places for a while. From what the county tells me all I can figure out is that I am responsible for what ever kind of upkeep back there I care to worry about, I have already cut down several large and dead trees to keep them from falling and damaging my fence.

Long and short of it is what do you all think I can do without getting into trouble? I would like to use some of the rails for fence posts and scrap out the rest. Anyway let me know what you think...

 

[TRNDRVR]

An old Railroad borders the back of my property here in missouri. The last time a train ran there was 60 years ago. It has been abandoned for so long that the rail ties have rotted mostly away and I have picked up several rail spikes with no effort at all. Some of the locals say to scrap it or use the rails to build my fences with. Others are wary of touching it. Some of the Amish I know have been using and scrapping bits and pieces or the line in other places for a while. From what the county tells me all I can figure out is that I am responsible for what ever kind of upkeep back there I care to worry about, I have already cut down several large and dead trees to keep them from falling and damaging my fence.

Long and short of it is what do you all think I can do without getting into trouble? I would like to use some of the rails for fence posts and scrap out the rest. Anyway let me know what you think...

Personally, I wouldn't touch it. I believe, and don't quote me on this, that if the railroad was to pull everything up and abandon it, it reverts back to the original ownership, the government. As long as "something" is there, and the railroad pays taxes on it, it's still owned by the railroad, not abandoned, there for potentially future use, and last but not least, you're subject to a trespassing charge.

ie. There are two mountain passes over the Colorado Rockies. Only one is used, the other is just there for.....

But like I said, don't quote me on that.

 

[Greg]

Don't scrap any railroad material... those tracks belong to someone. Scrap yards that get track material brought in are supposed to call the police, at least that's how it work around here. You get caught selling railroad scrap, that doesn't belong to you, and you're in deep sh!t.

Track material is expensive, if a line is scrapped, usually a scrapping company is awarded the contract and they pay a hefty price to gather the old material.

If you really want to dig into it, find out who owns the line and go from there. See what the actual owner of the track has to say, if there's an owner, which there usually is.

Where in MO? It might be easy to figure out who owns the track if I know where you are in MO.

 

[Tacoma]

Where in MO? It might be easy to notify the police if I know where you are in MO.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Don't scrap any railroad material...

See?

 

[BonZuki]

This is a coincidence !

I was at our local scrap yard just 2 weeks ago and someone was scrapping railroad plates and spikes Humm Makes you wonder!!

 

[rockreligious]

I have a 18" chunk of rail my dad gave me, works awesome as an anvil... cut it up and sell it as anvils...LOL. No I would never tell you to steal, if its on your property and your not being compensated, then have an anvil sale.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I have a 18" chunk of rail my dad gave me, works awesome as an anvil... cut it up and sell it as anvils...LOL. No I would never tell you to steal, if its on your property and your not being compensated, then have an anvil sale.

I would love a chunk of it as an anvil... Anyone?

 

[1969 CJ-5]

Where in MO? It might be easy to figure out who owns the track if I know where you are in MO.

We are in Windsor, just south of Whiteman Air Force Base. It was a Spur of the Katy Railroad that hauled coal out of this area.

I think I will let it sit and find out more about it even though the Amish have been doing stuff with the steel for a while.

 

[1969 CJ-5]

No trap, I have not done anything yet.