OK to ride on Railroad Right-of-Ways and Power Lines right-of-ways?

[larnanc]

Just in my casually talking to people that I see riding on their ATV's, I have heard so many different answers to this question,....Is it OK to ride on railroad right-of-ways and the power line right-of-ways in Lake County? I live in Madison and there are huge powwer lines that go across Bennett Road, Hubbard Road, McMackin Road, Green Road, etc. Some areas are posted and some are not. Seems like the posted areas are always in somebody's yard, close to the power lines. Also, what about riding on the railroad right-of-ways? I would like to be able to go from my home in Madison to Painesville or out to Geneva. Please advise. Thanks!

[250R]

I am about to post a new topic on this for the Birmingham ,AL area. The short answer is no. It used to never be enforced, but aorund here it got bad about 10 years ago. Had 2 guys riding with us hat stopped to talk to a cop at a road crossing and they were arrested for criminal tresspassing and thier quads impounded. Hoever, these are some of the best trails there are and as far as I am concerend it is all legal until you get caught.

[wickdYFZ450R]

I have been riding on the railroad access roads beside the tracks for 20 years where I live. I have had no problems with cops or railroad people. I have stoped and talked to the railroad people and they said as long as we don't mess with the trains or on the tracks it was fine to ride..

[jesshamner]

The truth is that the land is owned by someone. The railroad ROW is owned and maintained by which ever companies operate on those tracks.

Powerlines are just easements across someone's land or it is owned by the power company.

[smr]

I got busted riding on the railroad row several years ago. They did let us go but really gave us a hard time.

[deathman53]

it is technically illegal. I got stopped for that once. The cop made phone calls and told me that nobody cares. Powerlines can be owned people(w/ right of way) or the power company, some is on state parks and federal land too. Its a individual situation and there is no "rule" to it.

[jesshamner]

That's not necessarily true. There is a rule. It does belong to someone and if they cared, you would be trespassing.