NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/rec/railroad/9078

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-19 | 2.6 KB

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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Attack on a Train
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 19 Nov 92 15:38:37 -0600
Organization: Minnesota State University System
Lines: 42

The recent threads on "stupid people" and "vandalism" reminded me of a
story told to me by a railroad worker in Chicago.

Like most large cities, many of the railroads in Chicago pass through
high-crime areas.  This presents railroads with problems in addition
to people getting themselves hit by trains (or running into trains),
vandalizing equipment, and throwing rocks.

For example, the Conrail railroad police routinely follow trains on
city streets.  If a train has to stop, the Conrail police quickly show
up to protect the train from people who come to steal things out of
the boxcars and containers.  Indeed, some enterprising thiefs have
learned that they can cause a train to stop in various ways, and have
used this knowledge in their thefts.  Apparently, car radios in cars
on autoracks are particular targets.  Thus, the railroad police are
especially vigilant when the train has "high value" loads.

But now to my story.  Apparently, some are not content with stealing
car radios and breaking into boxcars and containers for their
contents.  It seems that there is one particular Conrail job that
involves a light-engine move.  I was told that this job is staffed
only by an engineer, who operates alone.  It is a night job.  Well,
according to the story, one night he was cruising along when he came
to a red absolute signal.  Since it was "only" light engines, the
railroad police were not around to provide protection and the engineer
was quickly attacked and mugged.  The person who told me the story did
not know the extent of the engineer's injuries, including whether or
not he survived.  But it did cause a stink on whether another
crewmember would have prevented the attack and on the extent of
railroad police protection.

Personal aside:  The next time you're in a major city to do some
railfanning, be especially careful to avoid trespassing on railroad
property as many railroad police officers are under intense pressure
of various kinds.  These are not easy times.

--
   Paul L. Schumann, Ph.D.           |  VAX:  IN%"[e-mail]"
   Professor of Management           |  Office Phone:       [phone]
   Mankato State University          |  Secretary's Phone:  [phone]
   Mankato, MN   56002-8400          |  Fax Number:         [phone]