Gorge visitors and locals should be aware the railroads are in their snit
phase again. Victor and friends were chased out of an eastern spot recently
because they had to walk across the tracks to access it. They were lucky to
get away without prosecution this time; it can include a federal felony rap,
some very significant fines, and legal fees well into six figures.

When asked about their policy, the RR responded with this:

I received your note inquiring about access across our tracks to the
Columbia River for to get to the best windsurfing around.

My first thought was, is there a public crossing [meaning lights, bells,
whistles, signs authorizing public access, overpass/underpass, etc] for you
to cross at this location or are you trespassing? I understand now that
there is a railroad access road nearby, but no crossing. This is a private
roadway owned and in use for railroad personnel only. There is no legal
access to the beach.

What you and others have been doing is trespassing onto private property in
order to access the river. It is not legal or safe to continue to park your
cars along SH 14 [which runs along the entire sailable Washington shore of
Da River] to and cross the tracks unless you are at a designated public
crossing or at a crossing such as Doug's Beach where you have active warning
lights and gates. The practice of trespassing across our tracks MUST STOP
NOW before someone gets hurt and/or killed. Passenger trains run at 70 mph,
freight trains at 60 mph in this area.

To obtain legal access, find a local agency with some $$$, construct an
overpass under BNSF review and approval, with all the safeguards such as
parallel fencing, similar to Doug's Beach. There will be NO at grade
crossings for pedestrians permitted along our mainline tracks. If you do
find the $$$ see if we can grade separate Doug's Beach as well.

If anyone is seen and/or caught trespassing across BNSF tracks they will be
immediately escorted off of the property and/or prosecuted to the fullest
extent of the law.

PASS THE WORD TO YOUR FELLOW SURFERS

BE SAFE, CROSS AT DESIGNATED PUBLIC CROSSINGS!!