Interesting experience today

[nachoman]

I then asked him if he saw me taking photos of a railroad bridge, would he stop and question me. He said, without hesitation, "Absolutely." He then explained that with all the refineries here on the Gulf Coast, and with much of the chemicals being transported by rail, all law enforcement agencies down here have been instructed to check out all activities such as this. He said it certainly wasn't against the law to take photos, but they were obligated to check it out.

And perhaps they should. It shouldn't matter what you look like, what you were wearing, or that you acted like a model railroader. If they have a reasonable threat, then there should be nothing wrong with them politely investigating everyone hanging around railroad bridges, so long as it is not stretching law enforcement recourses. A few years back, we had someone sabotage and Amtrak train here in Arizona. The train crashed, and nobody was ever caught. They shouldn't just assume everyone watching trains is a railroad enthusiast.

I am more surprised the sheriff's deputy did not want to check out your layout