RMoudatir

I've been looking to do a ride from Los Angeles to Las Vegas one day and explored google maps on what routes I can possibly take. I rather ride with less traffic and on isolated roads, the dirt paths beside the train tracks seem to continue endlessly to my destination. Is it legal and is it rideable at least with WTB Byways or do I need better tires?

Unca_Sam

Railroads are designed to be used by trains. If you have no above grade crossings, you are at least trespassing. If there are any above grade crossings or bridges, you'll be risking your life.
Use a road or trail.

RMoudatir

there's like a good 20-30 feet of separation though.
Edit: It's actually 50-60 feet of seperation after calculating it.

indyfabz

Unless it’s a public path or road, no.

Toadmeister

I wish you legally could. I look at Google maps and dream how nice it would be to ride up and down the Mississippi River via the railroad.

Geezerdan

Definitely considered a trespass, if your lucky your just told to beat it but you could be arrested. In my part of the country the right of way is not rideable, lumpy, cluttered and not bike friendly.

skidder

Definitely a no-no. Railroad right-of-ways are private property, except where public streets & sidewalks cross them. And railroad companies have their own police departments (federally licensed) that have the authority to arrest trespassers.

obrentharris 

Railroad right of ways are usually 50 feet wide (25 feet either side of center of track) but can vary from 25' to 400'. I've ridden the paths and dirt roads next to several tracks and have never been bothered. However these impromptu paths usually have very poor surfaces more suitable for a mountain bike than a road bike. It is also my experience that these paths become very rough and overgrown or disappear entirely once you venture away from populated areas. There's a lot of unpopulated area between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
As mentioned above, bridges (and tunnels) can pose a serious threat to your life.
Brent

canklecat

Depends. In some states those unpaved paths running parallel with railroad tracks, but 20-50 feet away, are often utility easements, not strictly railroad property or private property.

Texas enables a lot of easements through or bordering private property, as a necessity for maintaining utilities -- electricity, gas, water, phone, cable TV, mobile phone tower maintenance, etc.

Easements are also recognized for use by individuals if necessary to access their own residences, businesses, or public lakes, parks, etc.

So even when the gravel road or rudimentary path is technically on private property, it may still legally be an easement accessible to others. But you'd need to check local laws and practices to be certain.

Often property owners and officials shrug off most use of easements as long as it doesn't cause problems. For years I lived on a Texas lakefront that had lots of easements for various uses, including by individuals walking on the land, and by boaters and fishermen. The "lake" was technically a US Army Corps of Engineers reservoir, not officially recognized as a recreational lake. But it was primarily used for recreation. In my small town there were two or three "freeways," driveway accesses to the lake for use by the public as a boat launch or rudimentary beach.

Occasionally someone from out of town would buy a home next to one of the freeways and get annoyed by people partying on the freeways. They'd try to install fences and gates to lock people out. But the authorities would eventually respond to complaints and tear down the fences and gates. The only solution for folks who chose to live next to a public access to the lake was to erect better fences.

And private property owners couldn't forbid fishermen in boats from fishing around private docks.

So check the laws and customs in your area.

Or just ride and keep an attorney and friend on speed dial, with a reserve fund for bail money.

Doug64

It dpends where you are.

Doug64

There is a very nice route down the Mississippi without getting on railroads' rights-of way.

CAT7RDR

I say go for it and do a trip report for us here on BF. What could possibly go wrong? Rails to Trails to Sin City.

Toadmeister

I live off a stretch of it qw

indyfabz

It helps to read all post before responding. With a few exceptions, 50’ to 60’ from end of tie is most like not going to be on railroad property. However, it’s quite possible that they are on private property owned by others. Railroads often have easements over abutting private property for access for things like derailments.

Gconan

I like riding next to railroad tracks for a little while. But at some point after awhile the gravel become to deep in my area and becomes a real hassle. Dirt, light gravel fun. Deep gravel, sand no fun.

nomadmax 

If you have to ask, the answer is usually "no". What are the chances in today's society that a railroad company is going to say "Sure, go ahead and ride your bicycle next to our train tracks. What could go wrong?". That said, if you're not one to take "no" for an answer then do it anyway and be prepared for the legal and safety issues that might arise, including being robbed (or worse) by criminals who sometimes call the train tracks home.

308jerry

There's probably more scrap in the trail than you'd care to ride a bike on. A couple pictures above show people riding with red bags on the back of the bike. Not saying there is a law. But as an ex railroad employee we were forbidden to wear red anything as that's how we stopped trains in an emergency....

sdmc530

Here that is a no go. that is trespassing. We get calls all the time for trespass violations for hunters using the roads and paths. So in short they have something like 50 foot right of way but I forget the official distance. In the winter its snowmobiles that we get calls for. Never gotten one for a cyclist though. Of the roads I have been on they are full of so much RR junk I don't think I would want to ride it myself.

TiHabanero

As a kid I grew up around railroad tracks and spent a lot of time trespassing! To this day I still do it. When there is snow, I will take a fat bike alongside the tracks. A ton of work, but enjoyable. Without snow I usually walk the tracks. I use Alico Summit hiking boots as light hikers and tennis shoes allow the rocks to bruise the bottoms of my feet. Never been approached by cops or maintenance crews while on the tracks. I suppose if I were up to no good, then I would. Very peaceful down on the tracks.

Did a photo shoot of the graffiti on overpasses once. Spent a week hiking different sections of track that went under highways. Some of it is remarkable art, much of it sophomoric profanity. Going into the city with lots of overpasses yields best results. One thing to note is that there are some places that you definitely do not want to go, and the graffiti usually marks those places with gang symbols and the like. Turn around and bug out when you come across them. I only went in the early mornings to about 10am, figuring fewer chances of encountering bad people.

Doug64

That picture was taken in Germany, and it is an established trail.

308jerry

Oh I wasn't saying you shouldn't ride established trails. And I'm not even going to say don't ride on railroad right of way. I just know all the hazards here along quite a bit of UP right of way. As in it'll tear up a ten ply pick up tire....

livedarklions

Could this question be more in your wheelhouse?

50PlusCycling

No, but then again that never stopped me. Most railroad lines and their service roads are private property, and are generally patrolled by the railroad police (yes, there is such a thing). However, the railroad police rarely (if ever) patrol these service roads, and only come out to respond to accidents, such as cars getting stuck on the tracks, or getting hit by a train. You'll usually find "No Trespassing" signs along railroad tracks, but it is very seldom that anyone ever gets in trouble for walking or riding a bike along on service roads, though you certainly don't want to get caught driving on them.