Railworks America

Hey guys. I know that many of you have done payware routes, and I am also looking at making my Canadian Mainline (Ironically 97% of it is in NY state) payware also. (Rest assured it will be more affordable than RSC's payware routes) Here's my problem/question. How did all you successful payware route builders do yours? Did you write to each RR involved in the route and ask permission to model it for pay? Did you have to ask the RR's if you could drive by their infrastructure in order to get reference photos? Enlighten me on this. I can't really proceed with my route until I get this straightened out. Others have told me that I could be sued. Not a problem I need this early in life!

Thanks guys

You can build a route if you want. You can call local divisions of a railroad for permission to take ref pics as well. The only thing you'd need is to pay for a lisence to reproduce anything with company logos. For any company you plan on showing in the route.

BNSFdude wrote:You can build a route if you want. You can call local divisions of a railroad for permission to take ref pics as well. The only thing you'd need is to pay for a lisence to reproduce anything with company logos. For any company you plan on showing in the route.

CSX i suggest you ask before you photograph on their "legal property" but any other RR would be okay as long as you don't get to close. An engineer once told me: "if you're on the pretty rocks, you're trespassing."

1225fan5358 wrote:CSX i suggest you ask before you photograph on their "legal property" but any other RR would be okay as long as you don't get to close. An engineer once told me: "if you're on the pretty rocks, you're trespassing."

I wouldn't worry about taking pictures, so long as you're on public land and have ID at the ready you should be fine. That doesn't mean you won't be hassled - just understand your rights and be prepared to defend them.

Hack wrote:

1225fan5358 wrote:CSX i suggest you ask before you photograph on their "legal property" but any other RR would be okay as long as you don't get to close. An engineer once told me: "if you're on the pretty rocks, you're trespassing."

I wouldn't worry about taking pictures, so long as you're on public land and have ID at the ready you should be fine. That doesn't mean you won't be hassled - just understand your rights and be prepared to defend them.

CSX popo seems to make up laws against railfanning, I got on trouble for "being on the wrong side of town" I was watching a yard outside wayland and he was in a bad mood I guess.

1225fan5358 wrote:CSX popo seems to make up laws against railfanning, I got on trouble for "being on the wrong side of town" I was watching a yard outside wayland and he was in a bad mood I guess.

Here's a link to the Phographer's Rights document from the BNSF Yahoo group: http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/iHxeUeVJxR ... sRight.pdf

The best way around any legal issues?

Don't build a payware route. (Thus the "Freeware Developers Corner" forum title).

As far as taking pics, it's not to hard to get reference photos on public land. Google Earth and Streetview are also your best friends.

Also, not to mention that you'd also have to make your own assets such as buildings, cars, houses, trees and almost everything else.

Much easier to just build a freeware route where you can use freeware assets without getting in trouble.

jpetersjr wrote:Also, not to mention that you'd also have to make your own assets such as buildings, cars, houses, trees and almost everything else.

Much easier to just build a freeware route where you can use freeware assets without getting in trouble.

Agreed.

Hack wrote:

1225fan5358 wrote:CSX popo seems to make up laws against railfanning, I got on trouble for "being on the wrong side of town" I was watching a yard outside wayland and he was in a bad mood I guess.

Here's a link to the Phographer's Rights document from the BNSF Yahoo group: http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/iHxeUeVJxR ... sRight.pdf

Either link broke or it doesn't exist is that a joke? "Photographers rights" then "document not found"

It's not a joke - don't be a dork. It's probably a permissions issue. You might have to join the group to access the link. I'll see about uploading it here.

He's a known dork.

buzz456 wrote:He's a known dork.

Yeah, I don't mean to brag,