As you know, trains are very large and usually moving, sometimes at a high rate of fuel consumption! The simplest way to avoid any problems would be to stay away from them. I know as well as you that neither of us will be doing that any time soon though!
Whenever you are out taking pictures or rail fanning, always be aware of private property. Railroad right of ways are all private property, and you should not be on railroad property without permission or authorization from the railroad. Staying off of private property will definitely help keep you out of trouble, and on good terms with the railroad.
In my experience the most popular spots for rail fanning tend to be on station platforms, at grade crossings, and around bridges. All of these have potential hazards, but can be quite safe under the right circumstances. Bridges can be potentially the most dangerous, but also the safest spots to take photos and rail fan. Highway bridges, with a proper pedestrian walkway, usually offer a safe place to be during all the action. Railroad bridges are a whole different story, and they should be avoided. Usually railroad bridges are not designed with space for both people and trains. They are designed to serve one purpose, that is to get the train across whatever obstacle is below the bridge. Even if there is adequate space for pedestrians on the bridge, they are almost always the property of the railroad, and entering them is trespassing on railroad property, unless you have proper authorization.
Grade crossings can be hazardous because of the dangers presented by the railroad, but also because of the nearby traffic. If possible, try to use roads which see very little traffic. That will reduce the traffic dangers. Whenever you are taking pictures or rail fanning from a crossing, do not get any closer to the tracks than you would in your car. If there are crossing gates, stay behind them! They are designed to protect you! Keep an eye on any warning devices there, but also keep an eye on the tracks and the trains, as well as any road traffic. Road traffic can often be unpredictable, and usually presents the biggest hazard in this type of situation.
Station platforms are great places to go for rail fanning. They offer public locations to take pictures and see the action up close. Keep in mind that while they are open to the public, they are usually still the property of the railroad. If a railroad official asks you to do anything, respect their requests. The great thing about station platforms is that you do not have to worry about road traffic or any of those hazards. The only thing to think about is the railroad action. When a train comes through, be sure to stand at a safe distance. There usually is a yellow line painted on most platforms. If you are on the yellow line, you are way too close! Your best bet is to stand far back from that line. Sometimes there are obstacles on the platform that make it harder to get that photo you really want. Do not get too close to a moving train to try to get that photo. Try moving up the platform some distance, parallel to the tracks. Also, take care not to lean over the edge of the platform, into the track area.
We know that safety is not usually the most exciting topic of discussion, but it is an important one. We want all of our fans to be safe, and we try our best to be safe too. We all like to be close to the action, but we should never put ourselves in a dangerous situation for our hobby. It is just a hobby. If you miss a photo because you were trying to be safe, you will almost always have another chance to get that photo in the future, and you will be alive and well to get it. Put safety first to be sure that you can continue to enjoy the hobby!
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