QUOTE: Originally posted by wp2006 Hi all, I am a Northern California resident and am thinking about taking a trip to the other end of the state (Southern California) to visit the Cajon Pass area. I am aware that railroad security is on the rise for suspicious looking folks and trespassers on railroad properties. Was curious if any forum folks have made a trip to Cajon lately and what to expect from railroad personnel? I am an ex SP brakeman and understand the dangers of being around rail equipment, especially fast and close moving stuff. Lets say I use a common sense approach when around the rails (safety, my own) as I travel alone when railfanning. I was in the Feather River Canyon last year watching some train action at the Keddie Wye. I decided to get down to the Wye itself and was hanging out waiting for some trains to come along when a UP track inspector driving a high rail truck pulled out of a tunnel at the west end of the wye and proceeded to stop. He asked me what I was doing? I told him that I was on vacation up in the area and was checking out the train action and that I used to fish under the wye as a child with my father. I also told him that I was an ex rail employee and I try to observe a great deal of safety and respect while around railroads. He said that I had been turned in by a westbound crew for looking suspicious. The inspector was very accomodating and did not run me off, but just told me to be careful. He even let me know after I asked if any westbounds were near by that there was a track crew working several miles away and that there would be no trains for awhile due to a work closure . It is people like that which make railfanning a good hobby, and a good practice for the UP to protect their rails. After all the crew and inspector were just doing their jobs and I was not treated or accused of being a criminal.
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
QUOTE: Originally posted by wp2006 Guys, Thanks for your expertise. It is nice to be able to kind of get a forecast from folks who have been to some place before, a real help. Thanks for the links to the derailment photos. I also happened to see them before I saw SPBed's photos. The two photos I saw were on Railpictures.net and showed the two BNSF DPU's on the rear of the train that had derailed. Thanks again for your help. Brad
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