http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gCFhKaFcuVjrJfc9G7MvbahOMyhwD9EP6HHG0
Yeah, had they been badly mangled or killed in the process, I would have no sympathy for them.....Stupid Mexicans, Stupid crooks!
They must have done a little research or had some prior knowledge, because I doubt that some random guys would know that they could stop a train buy cutting the brake line.
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It would seem that they had info about which rail cars held the merchandise they wanted to steal. Probably it was in vans or containers from a shipper and some of their help alerted the thieves. This all indicates a rather well organized operation rather than some locals hoping to get lucky.
No stupidity here at all. These folks go in knowing which container(s) they're looking for (anybody for some inside help somewhere?), how to stop the train, and about how long it will take for someone to reach them under normal circumstances.
It is likely a very organized operation - very little happenstance involved.
Imagine if they pulled that on a monster train such as that test train from a couple of months back - it might well take the conductor an hour to walk back to the point of the problem, by which time the thieves would probably be on their merry way, perhaps even closing the container back up (maybe even replacing the seal) so there's little indication of hanky-panky until the container reaches a terminal where it will be handled...
A couple hundred big screen TV's sold on the black market at half the retail price would yield $200K. Not bad for an hour's work...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 No stupidity here at all. These folks go in knowing which container(s) they're looking for (anybody for some inside help somewhere?), how to stop the train, and about how long it will take for someone to reach them under normal circumstances. It is likely a very organized operation - very little happenstance involved. Imagine if they pulled that on a monster train such as that test train from a couple of months back - it might well take the conductor an hour to walk back to the point of the problem, by which time the thieves would probably be on their merry way, perhaps even closing the container back up (maybe even replacing the seal) so there's little indication of hanky-panky until the container reaches a terminal where it will be handled... A couple hundred big screen TV's sold on the black market at half the retail price would yield $200K. Not bad for an hour's work...
Larry is right on target. A container train (for the sake of arguement has 280 containers (per the CSX ad) so one could extrapolate a BNSF train ( a 10,000 footer) could conceiveably have 560 (or more). With so many choices to choose from- figure which one has tennis shoes, appliances, TV's, or hardware in it. The thieves have to be extremely lucky, OOOOORRRR have inside information. You can bet the RR police are knee deep in to their investigation, along with the FBI, and anybody else who even remotely, will have juristiction in something like theft from a train.
Living fairly close to the TRANSCON over the last year I have seen lots of container trains go by, and so far I have only seen two containers with the doors flapping going East. I'd guess it happen more than is reported, but I'd guess it happens infrequently. Most of the trains (BNSF0 go through at a clip close to track speed, it's rare to see one stop (pariticularly, a container train).
Seems like alot of work...if these guys are so clever then why can't they use their brains to make a good living legally?..Answer..because they are parasites that prey on the hard work of others..
The secret of what these guys know or knew is also dependent on the term "cut the brake line". As railfans and railroaders we automatically assume they turned an angle **** or otherwise dumped the air. Anyother way of doing it would have been stupid because they could have gotten badly hurt once the inside line was tapped. So, yeah, they were informed about commodity, car, where train would be stopped, how to cut the air so that the brake system was compromised and the train unable to move (my assumption is that they pulled the coupler pin so that the train would part upon an attempted start thus giving them plenty of time to take what they could and make getaway before the crew knew the airline was broken) and know how much time it would take for the two men on the head end to find the break in the trainline, 100 car lengths behind the headend is quite a time consuming walk after reailizing the problem and calling it in and getting instruction...I bet the robbers had from the time the train stopped to the discovery of the parting plus at least 30 minutes to get what they wanted and get away!
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Stealing TVs from Walmart might be easier..hey...let them do the unloading and THEN steal it...or better yet..get a job and earn an honest living (the scavengers)..
Inside job or at least a job with insider help sounds likely. I wonder what Phoebe Vet would have from a law enforcement opinion?
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henry6 The secret of what these guys know or knew is also dependent on the term "cut the brake line". As railfans and railroaders we automatically assume they turned an angle **** or otherwise dumped the air. Anyother way of doing it would have been stupid because they could have gotten badly hurt once the inside line was tapped. So, yeah, they were informed about commodity, car, where train would be stopped, how to cut the air so that the brake system was compromised and the train unable to move (my assumption is that they pulled the coupler pin so that the train would part upon an attempted start thus giving them plenty of time to take what they could and make getaway before the crew knew the airline was broken) and know how much time it would take for the two men on the head end to find the break in the trainline, 100 car lengths behind the headend is quite a time consuming walk after realizing the problem and calling it in and getting instruction...I bet the robbers had from the time the train stopped to the discovery of the parting plus at least 30 minutes to get what they wanted and get away!
The secret of what these guys know or knew is also dependent on the term "cut the brake line". As railfans and railroaders we automatically assume they turned an angle **** or otherwise dumped the air. Anyother way of doing it would have been stupid because they could have gotten badly hurt once the inside line was tapped. So, yeah, they were informed about commodity, car, where train would be stopped, how to cut the air so that the brake system was compromised and the train unable to move (my assumption is that they pulled the coupler pin so that the train would part upon an attempted start thus giving them plenty of time to take what they could and make getaway before the crew knew the airline was broken) and know how much time it would take for the two men on the head end to find the break in the trainline, 100 car lengths behind the headend is quite a time consuming walk after realizing the problem and calling it in and getting instruction...I bet the robbers had from the time the train stopped to the discovery of the parting plus at least 30 minutes to get what they wanted and get away!
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I think most crews on board container trains are aware of thieves, and some will even avoid stopping their train if they can, just to avoid the risk of thieves hitting it. In something like this, I'm bet the conductor almost had to have had a bad feelign of this when he went to check out where the break was, as it would have been obvious there was one since the train line would never recharge. And what happens if said conductor meets up with thieves? Thieves who are likely armed, while the conductor ain't, because he ain't allowed to carry weapons? Then you hear about a fatality in addition to the mess, and the thieves have more time to rip off the train before people start realizing what's going on.
Good point, BaltACD. And . . . knowing the territory and the likely cause - who would be surprised if the conductor was maybe a little less than completely zealous about getting back there too quickly to face odds of X to 1 against him, lest he become another victim of the crime . . . How much of a hurry would you be in ?
- Paul North.
I am sure they try to keep moving when laden with valuable containers. Hopefully this will encourage the railroads to plan more carefully and keep the trains rolling. A stopped train makes no money and, now it might even lose money. Even Butch Cassidy figured this out.
This must be an "inside" job for them to find the high value containers.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Larry,
I do believe you are right in your estimation. We don't see that happen much here in Michigan so we are a bit oblivious to it.
How to best stop that kind of thing is left to better minds than mine.
Norm
If only these thieves were killed or seriously injured, then could qualify for the Darwin Awards. This is stupidity at its best.
Will
Ulrich Seems like alot of work...if these guys are so clever then why can't they use their brains to make a good living legally?..Answer..because they are parasites that prey on the hard work of others..
WHAT?!?!? You expect them to actually----work for a living?
'course----that actually is assuming that they do have usable skills
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Lets be PC about this. (for the liberals on here)
1. They are only robbing the trains that Americans can not be bothered to rob.
2. They are not illegal crooks they are undocumented robbers.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
BNSF train crews are not permitted to "carry" on duty. This policy, to me, is stupid. In addition to the ladrones, thar be lots of b'ars out there, especially in Maria's Pass! .357s, minimum, should be issued; .454s preferably!
Hays
Just a friendly reminder: Let's please keep this thread on topic and civil. Thank you.-Norris
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The article indicates the items taken were TV sets and computer gear. It may be two illegals who executed the operation, but to me that indicates previous knowledge of the train manifest. I'd be looking pretty closely at those who had access to the railroad computer system for another party.
Would the container have to be the top tier of a doublestack in order to have the clearance to open the door?
Last summer I happened to ride METRA's BNSF route into the Chicago Loop. I was taken aback to spot razor wire at some points along the right of way. I had never seen it used before except by the military or in a jail situation. I'd bet those are locations at which the railroad makes a major effort NOT to stop!
i must make a few comments on this Henry 6 while your assumptions are correct most engineers will pull hard streched to stop to keep pins from being pulled. It is something we learn from exspirance. Now everyone else thinks this is a inside job. and 98% of the time it is. and to the other 2% they know what containers come to the wharehouse they work at so they hit those and sometimes do ok., Now you say that they should look into the company to see who would be giving up information. I can speak for the NS not other roads but they may have similar
Conductors are not given a container list of goods like theyuse to, if haz-mat it will state whats in there other wise unless you know the consignee or what they produce or sell, then your out of luck but also they have security built into the computor system if you dont have clearance you dont get to peak, engineers and conductors still can get into the system and see what is in the trains manifest and what it is they are hauling, but you also log on so you can do this and everyone who logs on is recorded as such. and what cars you looked into, they know who to look at, there was a conductor or 2 up around south bend IN who was stopping trains while shunting tracks and turning anglecocks now they new this was a inside job as they knew how to stop a train and where the trains would normaly stop and for why, and could hit trains at liesure .the conductors were fired and sent to jail. You can steal a big screan tv or a pair of shoes or blue jeans on the NS the tolerance is ZERO. ITs not worth my job and pension for something free ( stole)
Three of 5 articles from the Michigan City, Indiana News-Dispatch 'date-lined' at South Bend, Indiana about this:
locoi1sa Lets be PC about this. (for the liberals on here) 1. They are only robbing the trains that Americans can not be bothered to rob. 2. They are not illegal crooks they are undocumented robbers. Pete
Thanks for the laugh Pete!!!!!
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