We hear all the time about how dangerous train tracks are to photographers (or anyone) and why you should never trespass on them. This harrowing video highlights that, as it shows a family engaged in a photoshoot barely making it off the tracks before a train came speeding through the scene.
The incident happened in Greencastle, PA, as a family of seven worked with a photographer on the tracks and was captured by a High Line Train Station camera and uploaded to YouTube by Virtual Railfan.
Perhaps most frustrating is watching the children play probably 100 feet down the tracks while the photographer and parents are unaware of the approaching train at first. The adults are so far away, in fact, that they don’t have time to reach the children before the train passes through, leaving them helplessly hoping the kids can get safely off the tracks in time.
Besides being illegal to be on train tracks, it is simply a terrible idea. Trains can be surprisingly quiet in addition to moving very quickly, and they can take miles to stop. Seemingly old routes can still be in use as well, so you should always assume tracks are active. There’s simply no reason to ever risk going on train tracks for any reason.