luvsno Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well we finally got out and 10 years later we travel into Gravenhurst going to the CT and get gas I make a mistake (human here) take a left because I see a red sign down the trail beside the tracks thinking its the gas but its the Shoppers Drug mart, stop look around and see the CT gas station turn to go back and the CN police turns his lights on and comes over. He says you guys are on CN property and that's a $250 fine for you guys. I'm floored like look how wide this trail is I thought I was going to the gas station a real mistake there are no signs that it's CN land and no I don't know how far away you need to be but this trail has to be at least 5 sleds wide and pretty flat honestly how was I suppose to know. Why isn't it fenced off or blocked, he says oh yeah people run this forever and you can see how far both ways it goes so why aren't there more barriers in place to keep people off, I didn't drive for 2 miles or drive around a barrier just an easy left turn because I saw a sign I thought was the gas station. Now I have a provincal offense that could stop my entry to the U.S. I can't afford that for a honest mistake. The guy gives us a break and only charges me cause the kid is 12 and can't be charged. Thanks. I understand the tresspassing thing if I had been on the trail from the station down or from the hotel up, just maybe 200 feet then realize my mistake come on, I didn't turn and run away I waited for him. So after we get gas and start back I see 2 guys do the same thing and come back they didn't get stopped and the guy was still there what gives? Has anyone else had this fine and what happened. Thanks. The boy had fun though riding over the trail and bridges we worked on in the fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToSlow Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 take it to court and plead your case, never admit guilt till proven guilty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Back in the 90s a co-worker got clipped by a train in the Parry Sound area. Apparently they were riding beside the tracks & a freight train caught up to them. He got knocked off the sled & away from the tracks. He never worked after that. His arm & shoulder were pretty messed up. We were on a ride east of Key River heading towards TOP C. There's a train stopped blocking the trail crossing. Now what do we do? It's not @ a siding, so it's not waiting for another train to pass. Has it broken down? We could hear the locomotives idling in the distance, so I start walking that way. In the distance I see a crewman walking along checking the cars. Then he turned around & started walking towards the locomotives. A few minutes after I get back to my buddies, the train starts rolling south out of the way. I don't recall how many cars passed, but it was a few minutes before the crossing cleared. I guess we would've had to figure out an alternative route if the train hadn't moved. Another trip up there we got "startled" by a train south of Byng Inlet (again on TOP C). The trail comes out of the woods by a bit of a rock cut. You really can't see up or down the tracks until you're @ the crossing. Nor can you hear anything w/ your helmet or the sled noise. Just as a we get to the crossing a freight train goes flying by. "Holy $%^& that was close!" Finally, be careful @ crossings that only have a wooden sign (no lights) especially when visibility is poor (E108 east of Burketon & Durham 57 has a bad crossing). Several years ago 2 riders were killed in a whiteout north of Brechin. They hit a train while riding @ night in a snowfall & rode into the side of a train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 The fact that you turned around should have been a clue to the CN guy. Many cops have common sense, many don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bsledding Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well we finally got out and 10 years later we travel into Gravenhurst going to the CT and get gas I make a mistake (human here) take a left because I see a red sign down the trail beside the tracks thinking its the gas but its the Shoppers Drug mart, stop look around and see the CT gas station turn to go back and the CN police turns his lights on and comes over. He says you guys are on CN property and that's a $250 fine for you guys. I'm floored like look how wide this trail is I thought I was going to the gas station a real mistake there are no signs that it's CN land and no I don't know how far away you need to be but this trail has to be at least 5 sleds wide and pretty flat honestly how was I suppose to know. Why isn't it fenced off or blocked, he says oh yeah people run this forever and you can see how far both ways it goes so why aren't there more barriers in place to keep people off, I didn't drive for 2 miles or drive around a barrier just an easy left turn because I saw a sign I thought was the gas station. Now I have a provincal offense that could stop my entry to the U.S. I can't afford that for a honest mistake. The guy gives us a break and only charges me cause the kid is 12 and can't be charged. Thanks. I understand the tresspassing thing if I had been on the trail from the station down or from the hotel up, just maybe 200 feet then realize my mistake come on, I didn't turn and run away I waited for him. So after we get gas and start back I see 2 guys do the same thing and come back they didn't get stopped and the guy was still there what gives? Has anyone else had this fine and what happened. Thanks. The boy had fun though riding over the trail and bridges we worked on in the fall. Not sure exactly where / what direction of the OFSC trail you were coming from, but I do know if you are on the trail near the new dog park (trail that heads to & from the Wharf) there are multpile signs with arrows, and follow road to trail sign, and a "Do Not Enter" sign on the spot that some sledders use to run the rail line property down to the south end of town where Tim Horton's is. Like I said, I am not sure how you accessed the CN property near Shoppers Drug mart. I have see CN police charging motorists coming in to town on the main street from the south when they make a left turn in to the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot because they made a left where a sign is posted "No Left Turn". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Based on luvsno's description, I believe he followed the rail line from the corner of Philip Street East and First Street, down to the corner of Muskoka Road South and David Street. If you click on the map it will enlarge. I uploaded this in an attempt to be helpful, so we can stay safe and avoid warnings or tickets from the CN Police. If this post is inaccurate or not helpful, I hope the moderator will remove it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Looks helpful to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 As 2bsledding pointed out, there is a "Do not enterl" sign near the junction of the railbed and John Street, down by the dog park. I wonder if it would be worthwhile to put up a similar sign near the CN tracks at the corner of Philip and First? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bsledding Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Based on luvsno's description, I believe he followed the rail line from the corner of Philip Street East and First Street, down to the corner of Muskoka Road South and David Street. If you click on the map it will enlarge. I uploaded this in an attempt to be helpful, so we can stay safe and avoid warnings or tickets from the CN Police. If this post is inaccurate or not helpful, I hope the moderator will remove it. Awesome map Blake. Thanks for taking the time to do that. the Club is not allowed to put signage up on CN property. Even Do Not Enter signs. The Do Not Enter, sign that is installed down by the dog park is on Town property. You have a good suggestion though, and I will contact CN Police and request that they arrange for signage to be installed on their property. I can tell you that I have witnessed CN & OPP putting up caution tape across the section by the dog park, and then we watched sledders pull it down and drive through to other waiting CN Police. However your suggestion of installing signs at the other end may help prevent sledders from making an honest mistake like luvsno did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsno Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 That is the exact spot,(I checked on google street view and it looks abandoned in 2009 with a bunch of workers there at the intersection) I turned left off Philip and went down towards the Shoppers on the 20 foot wide packed trail at least we kept to the far left side away from the rails. I did not see any do not enter signs or CN no tresspassing signs at the intersection. On the way back I stopped on the side of the tracks to glance back for a trail marker and there was a blue arrow on a lamp or telephone pole but I missed it on the way down to continue on Philip street. On a brighter side the boy was happy to get stopped by a STOP PATROL officer on the way back and have to show his license. Aww to be young again, it usually costs me money when I have to show my license. revrnd thanks for your post, I too had a very close call in Sudbury back in 94 driving at night little snow coming down near the hydro lines or park north side of Sudbury when all of a sudden its a white out luckily I stopped and I saw a red light go by, the end of a train the wind from the train stirred the snow up into a blizzard and didn't see the rail crossing signs at all. That's when they used to get snow and I was driving the vmax4 looking for gas lol. Sorry forgot to thank Blake for that map, thats awesome and why are the map and actual trail different, I didn't have the map till after but was just following signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Hey Luvsno - thanks to you and your son for all the help on the trails last fall. Sorry about the CN mishap but I'm happy to hear you were able to get out and ride the trail you helped prepare ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme600 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Based on luvsno's description, I believe he followed the rail line from the corner of Philip Street East and First Street, down to the corner of Muskoka Road South and David Street. If you click on the map it will enlarge. I uploaded this in an attempt to be helpful, so we can stay safe and avoid warnings or tickets from the CN Police. If this post is inaccurate or not helpful, I hope the moderator will remove it. Awesome map Blake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 The fact that you turned around should have been a clue to the CN guy. Many cops have common sense, many don't. I was walking along the train to find out what was going on. It wasn't a cop, just a crewman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Got this in my email this afternoon: CN Train 301 meeting Train 316..somehow a snowmobiler ended up getting stuck on the tracks, crawled under the stopped 301 while 316 goes by. The crew of 301 is "splitting" the train to allow traffic through.Happened at about 1:00pm at mp 93.4 Bala sub Second sled to be hit (that I've heard) this season. One on the CPR in Bala and now at Sparrow Lake. And folks wonder why the CN (&CP) cops can be hardcases. The sledder is lucky to be alive. Anyone familiar w/ this area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreezerBurnt Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I follow the CPR line to get to the trails back home Common sense is used also you are at least 20-50ft away from the tracks and of course look out for trains Even been out with Cops and use the railway as a shortcut, kinda surprised we did that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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