This Photography Trend Is Illegal In New Jersey

That oh so moody photo above of a figure walking along a railroad track with the sun setting in front of him might look cool, and with senior photo and yearbook season here, it's trendy, but here in the Garden State, it'll cost you.

Yes, even if they're unused railroad tracks.

First off, hopefully I don't have to tell you that taking photos on in-service railroad tracks is really stupid (you remember "Stand By Me", right?), but even if you venture out to tracks that aren't currently in service, you can still get in trouble.

Why?

Well, in a nutshell, you're trespassing.

Even out-of-service train tracks are still owned by various railroad companies, and New Jersey law prohibits people from trespassing onto that property.

According to NJ law:

It is unlawful in New Jersey for anyone to walk upon the tracks of any railroad. Any person so doing will be deemed to have contributed  to any injury sustained and may not recover damages. N.J. Rev.Stat.§48:12-152(1999).

Basically, if you're on the tracks, you're trespassing. If you get hurt while you're trespassing, you're on your own.

So, while that senior photo of your son or daughter standing defiantly in between train tracks may look cool, if you get caught doing it, it'll cost you more than what it cost you to get it into the yearbook in the first place.