Theo, Steve, Tim, thanks for the replies.

I've had some dealings w/ CSX legal/property dept. about getting an easement for 4' deep by 1' wide into the berm to tap in for sewer (the township has a 30 year easement to run a main sewer line through the several mile length of the rail way). After some persistence on my part, they began to cooperate and outlined the process to get an easement. I did this in preliminary planning stages for putting up a weekend house.

My property only boarders the rail way for about 2,000 feet; this is out of a few miles of the total railway within the township. So keeping vehicles off the railway is not my battle for now. Plus the local state police use it to patrol my property. They have some funny stories about high speed chases on that rail way.

There is talk of it becoming a Rails to Trails bikeway. Ironically, this could work better for me in that the current usage of that railway is not anything "upstanding." People drive the rail way to poach deer; some dump garbage; some poach fish; some drink, etc. etc. These people are all driving a car or a quad. Very few people riding bicycles. Frankly, the people who would ride bicycles on the railway, if it became Rails to Trails, would be a more "upstanding" type of person.

I'm really still puzzled about why someone would go through the massive effort to steal these slabs.

On a side note, In all my planning to build a weekend home, I've always accepted that the place may get broken into. I have several realistic and practical ideas on how to help keep the place secure (or minimize break-ins).

But now to think about someone stealing these concrete slabs. I mean WTF?

I can't help but imagine the discussion of the thieves prior to the act.........

"Hey Haws, your new trailer sure is nice. You know what 'ya need? A nice concrete slab patio out back."

"Gee Pooch, I can't afford it! Them concrete slabs is like a thousand bucks a piece!"

"Don't wurry Haws. I know where we can get some for nuthin'! You might have to stand in some freezin' water, and blow your back out, 'n slip n' fall in the mud a bunch. But ain't it wurth it?!!! I mean them slabs is like a thousand bucks a piece! You'll save hundreds a bucks!!!"

Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."