welcome to NJ pt. 2

click 'er for biggerApparently it was a slow day. Or more likely the officer was new to the job and needed some experience. Details of my encounter with the CSX police can be found here. I was warned because I was supposedly within 24 feet of a railroad track. This photo is pretty good evidence that I was on the edge of the road, probably about 25 feet away from the track that runs down the middle of a public road. But who's quibbling? Believe it or not, the railroad was not what I was photographing. I probably won't be returning to South Kearny, N.J. any time soon.

welcome to northern NJ

The offcers didn't seem to believe they were in paradise. "I've seen better." said one. When I suggested that perhaps his elsewhere was merely different, he insisted "No. Better." South Kearny didn't seem to fit acceptable notions of beauty. I continued the discussion by elaborating upon the concept of finding beauty in unlikely places. He may have been curious, but he was far from convinced, other than possibly to think I was yet another looney citizen.

Sematic differences aside,  his uniformed associate was only moderately intent on issuing me a warning for so called tresspassing on railroad property - which happened to be the middle of a public thoroughfare. He had driven past me while I was standing about with my viewfinder in hand, trying to find the composition. We waved at one another. He was curious, but didn't stop, so I didn't realize that he was police. He didn't even see me with the camera set up.

Some time later when leaving the area, collecting snaps of pollution abatement signs, he passed again and decided he needed to talk to me. Under the impression that I was taking pictures of the railroad, I tried to make it clear that this was not the case. Alas, cops can't talk to citizens without turning it into official documented business. So at least half an hour after the "infraction" came the written warning. More evidence to support my theory that there are more police on payroll in New Jersey than anywhere else in the known universe. I never would have thought to include the CSX railroad police in the list. Now I know for certain that they exist.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the third cleanup site sign. Or the officers.