Inherited Railroad Track

**Patriot76** · 02-26-2020, 08:41 PM

There are companies that focus on recycling RR materials full time. This is done on a contract basis. One of our old members dealt exclusively in RR scrap including cars and locomotives. Other companies specialize in collecting and reselling used RR ties. The reason for these examples is to emphasize the RR stills owns the materials even in remote areas. Different yards deal with this differently depending on local laws and whom they sell to.

https://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scra...=railroad+ties
https://www.scrapmetalforum.com/day-...=railroad+ties

**hobo finds** · 02-27-2020, 05:39 PM

No railroad stuff allowed by me either. https://www.cfsmetalsrecycling.com/FAQ.html but I am sure you had paperwork from them you could get them to buy it. Public Safety you cant just people remove sections of rail to sell as scrap.

**eesakiwi** · 02-29-2020, 09:39 AM

Some sorts of metal simply is never owned by a single person, its always owned by a coompany that will not sell it to Joe Citizen.
Railway lines and High voltage electrical cable come to mind.

**matador** · 03-01-2020, 12:24 AM

If you end up with a short section of track (Again, make sure you LEGALLY have it), you may want to cut it up into sections that are a foot or two long and sell them as anvils to farmers. They work super well for it

**SKWrapper** · 03-02-2020, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by JJinLV

Still wrong. As in you'd go to jail wrong.

Never knew that but I can see why it would be illegal - odds of it NOT being stolen are very very low. I have never seen an ad anywhere "Burlington Northern free metal" lol

Now it makes more sense the stores I hear from people ex. "back when metal was over 250/ton and people were pulling up railroad tracks"... lol Lots of people being incarcerated I would guess.

**KzScrapper** · 03-03-2020, 06:05 AM

About 5 years ago when an 30 story apartment building was going up in downtown Denver, about 4 tons of track was unearthed when digging the foundation. I brought a release from the contractor and pics of where it was found to the yard and they accepted it. I kept some shorter sections and spikes that were sold on Craigslist.

**Patriot76** · 03-04-2020, 10:45 PM

In addition to the ethical, business, and financial issues in scrapping railroad materials there is also a liability issue. Even if you contact the railroad, it is doubtful they will provide permission to scrap the tracks because of the liability issue. You could contact the local court house to see if the railroad has abandoned the right of way and if so the current land owner is also the owner of the scrap in the states where I do business. In this case the railroad or court house could provide you with documentation of abandonment which would be accepted at the yards in this area. These are the guidelines for the oil field materials I scrap.

**SKWrapper** · 03-06-2020, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Patriot76

In addition to the ethical, business, and financial issues in scrapping railroad materials there is also a liability issue. Even if you contact the railroad, it is doubtful they will provide permission to scrap the tracks because of the liability issue. You could contact the local court house to see if the railroad has abandoned the right of way and if so the current land owner is also the owner of the scrap in the states where I do business. In this case the railroad or court house could provide you with documentation of abandonment which would be accepted at the yards in this area.

Sounds like a significant amount of red tape for something that is just $65/ton scrap value (latest price I am aware of around here - could be lower) for one person with a regular pickup truck (me).

**ChildhoodDream** · 03-06-2020, 08:10 PM

Carnegie marked rail track, as well as a few others is sought after by collectors.

There was a guy on here awhile back looking for a small piece of track to make a ring out of.

I have 5, 10 foot pieces of track left that I cut down from 30 ft. as well as a few 1 foot or so pieces that I collected up over the years.

It seems that the track becomes for sale when those in charge want it gone to make bike paths or pull up other unused track, such as sidings.

I received the 2 30 foot sections from my cousin who had piles of it he had bought at scrap price or so. He was building things with the track.

**Patriot76** · 03-07-2020, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by SKWrapper

Sounds like a significant amount of red tape for something that is just $65/ton scrap value (latest price I am aware of around here - could be lower) for one person with a regular pickup truck (me).

In your situation, you are absolutely correct. My situation is a little different owning the equipment, knowing people in the court house on a first name basis, and having the ability to stockpile until the "price is right."

**ChildhoodDream** · 01-26-2023, 04:08 PM

I notice that a foot of track for use as a anvil sells for around $25.00 to $50.00 on eBay. The ones that have been cut and shaped bring more and if it's old old old track with the proper markings the skies the limit.

Also, salvage laws can let a person have many things that most can't have. The laws are tricky in all forms. It basically comes down to if your up to no good simply put or if you are being honest and just.

**ChildhoodDream** · 02-27-2023, 08:38 PM

bump

**Ditchdigger** · 02-28-2023, 09:23 PM

Carnegie marked rail track, as well as a few others is sought after by collectors.

Full article at Scrap Metal Forum: https://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scra...#ixzz7ufWx7Iz8

After reading that particular detail, I went out to the garage and looked at a couple of pieces of track that I have. One, which I think my dad inherited from his dad is unmarked, but another, which I can't remember exactly where I got it, is about 8" long. It's marked "...EGIE."