spsalso
"It's my impression that railroads in England must fence their right of way."
Only since the 1845 Railways Act! Prior to that they may have been unfenced (before my time...)
I think that this applies to 'land designated as a railway' since any land that has been a railway has to be un-designated before it isn't a railway. So even if there are no rails, you can be fined for trespassing on the railway. This type of trespass is a criminal offence, not a civil one, in England.
Current penalty £1000 ($ 1220)
The French high speed TGV lines originally had some level crossings but these were removed and replaced with bridges / underpasses.