+HaLiJuSaPa Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 We have had a place scoped out for first ever hide. Then we read about a rule that makes us think it may be rejected by the admin but we thought maybe we'd scope out "expert opinion" here. About 1/4 mile down the road from our home is a county park. We know caches are allowed there because other county parks in our county have plenty of them (though this park does not yet). The best hiding place for our ammo box is a woodsy area at the other end of the park from the entrance. Here's the problem: The hide would be near the bottom of a hill that is full of trees. At the top of the hill about 100 ft. up are railroad tracks for our local commuter railroad. The park ends at the railroad and there are houses with a fence at the other side of the hill (also with heavy tree cover between the fence and the train tracks) so we don't think anyone would climb the fence and cross the tracks to seek the cache. It is very obvious from the way the park is designed that you enter, you park, and you walk about 1/4 mile down a trail to the cache. In fact, at the cache you have to look up almost to the sky to see the railroad tracks and the trees mostly block them and trains from view. Technically, this is within 150 ft. of train tracks and would get rejected, but I noticed that the guidelines say it is up to the discretion of the admin. Since these are not "overt" (i.e. the tracks are not right in front of you to cross and heavily visible), would it get rejected? If you are not sure, does it make sense for us to contact the local admin (how do we do this?) before doing the hide? Please let us know, thanks. Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 To contact a local Reviewer, check the first log on a recently-approved cache in your area. Email the Reviewer from the link in their Profile and give them the details. That would probably be the best course of action. Quote Link to comment
+DconBlueZ Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I have a similar cache, I put a note in the description that says "While there are tracks somewhat near, stay away, that's the wrong direction." I had no trouble with the review. HTH mike Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 The cache would be placed in a park that is open to the public. I don't think the RR-rule applies. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 There are two chief issues with caches near RR tracks which caused the RR track guideline to be written. The first is trespassing. It is illegal to be on a RR right of way. The width of these vary, but I think the admins use 150 feet each way as their starting point. Because your cache is in a county park, trespassing is not an issue here. The second is the problems that might be generated by people observed wandering around RR tracks carrying a GPS, or containers being discovered by non-geocachers near tracks. In an age of increased vigilance, geocaches near tracks could cause public alarm and result in the police and bomb sqauad being called out. This may or not be an issue with your prospective cache. If your cacheand people searching for it are concealed from the tracks by a fence, bushes or trees then it might be OK. If you contact your reviewer before hand and provide photos of the area, it may be enough to convince him to publish the cache. Take a few of the tracks standing at the cache site, and a few of the cache site standing near the tracks. Quote Link to comment
GrandpaCannon Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 (edited) We have had a place scoped out for first ever hide. Then we read about a rule that makes us think it may be rejected by the admin but we thought maybe we'd scope out "expert opinion" here. About 1/4 mile down the road from our home is a county park. We know caches are allowed there because other county parks in our county have plenty of them (though this park does not yet). The best hiding place for our ammo box is a woodsy area at the other end of the park from the entrance. Here's the problem: The hide would be near the bottom of a hill that is full of trees. At the top of the hill about 100 ft. up are railroad tracks for our local commuter railroad. The park ends at the railroad and there are houses with a fence at the other side of the hill (also with heavy tree cover between the fence and the train tracks) so we don't think anyone would climb the fence and cross the tracks to seek the cache. It is very obvious from the way the park is designed that you enter, you park, and you walk about 1/4 mile down a trail to the cache. In fact, at the cache you have to look up almost to the sky to see the railroad tracks and the trees mostly block them and trains from view. Technically, this is within 150 ft. of train tracks and would get rejected, but I noticed that the guidelines say it is up to the discretion of the admin. Since these are not "overt" (i.e. the tracks are not right in front of you to cross and heavily visible), would it get rejected? If you are not sure, does it make sense for us to contact the local admin (how do we do this?) before doing the hide? Please let us know, thanks. I wold submit the cache with the same explanation you gave here. That way the approver can decide if you are due for an exception. I know besides safety another reason for not placing near tracks is you don't want it to look like a terrorist bomb. In this case though i don't think it would look that way becuase the tracks are not very visible from the cache. On the other hand I am not an approver so my opinion counts for very little Edit: Holy cow lots of replies while I was typing. Edited July 19, 2006 by Cannonlaw Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Be prepared with lots of explanation and a few photos of the area to show your point. Also be prepared for it to get possibly rejected. When it comes to RR right-of-Way the site always errs on the side of caution. Quote Link to comment
+thedeadpirate Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 If you contact your reviewer before hand and provide photos of the area, it may be enough to convince him to publish the cache. Take a few of the tracks standing at the cache site, and a few of the cache site standing near the tracks. Photos are one of the best ways to alliviate concerns. I had a cache that was well within the 150' "safezone". The reviewer had concerns. I sent pictures showing the cache was located within a fenced in city park area. I also updated the cache listing with a note letting anyone hunting this cache know they must approach it from the park side. I had no problem getting it published. Quote Link to comment
+HaLiJuSaPa Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thanks, the photograph is a good idea. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Stop giving the dolphin evil ideas! How does one go about sending photos to one's reviewer? The park is between the tracks and the river. One crosses the tracks at the grade crossing of the street. The railroad is used, at most, once a week. The park is probably used less often than that. A great entry for the 'Small and Seldom Used Parks' series. Hmmm... Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 How does one go about sending photos to one's reviewer? Contact the reviewer through his profile and you can ask for his e-mail addr. At least that is what I would do. Quote Link to comment
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