Train hits cattle

[chad thomas]

From Altamont Press:

Train hits cattle

There’s really no other way to describe it.

“It’s just a mess. They must’ve been bunched up there and they hit them all in one spot,” David Zeller, who works for the Union Pacific Railroad, said.

During a thunderstorm Monday night, about ninety head of cattle from the Robert Walker ranch spooked and broke through a fence.

Thirty one head ended up on a stretch of train tracks west of Kismet, Kansas.

The train’s driver didn’t have enough time to stop and smashed into all of them.

“We had to get a lot of it out of the center of the track. It's just scattered everywhere down there. It's a pretty big mess,” Zeller said.

And even though it’s not in his job description, he and his crew are responsible for cleaning it all up.

In addition to the 31 head of cattle found dead on the tracks, another sixty or so had to be rounded up in places all over the county.

Cowboys caught two a mile east of Kismet. By noon Monday, thirty were still missing.

Zeller said he’s never seen anything like it. - Audrey Martin, KBSD-TV6, Dodge City, KS, courtesy Larry W. Grant

[upchuck]

More DEAD COWS ON TRACKS...

[TheS.P.caboose]

Back in 1984, while riding the Coast Starlight we came to a stop because of cattle on the track near San Luis Obispo.

[Anonymous]

Why don't we ever get a picture of that??

[ValleyX]

You want to see a picture of that? Oh, no you don't, use your imagination, that's plenty good enough.

I once took out seven cows at once that had wandered away and out onto a bridge, the other four got off somehow. Thought that was bad enough, can't imagine 90. 90?!?!? Whoa.

[railroad65]

And even though it’s not in his job description, he and his crew are responsible for cleaning it all up.

[chad thomas]

[:O][dinner]

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

[:O][dinner]

Just don't bring them to the 'Diner',CW would have a FIT !!!!![:-,][:-,]

[chad thomas]

I thought we'd just set up the bbq on the front porch of the lead unit.[:D]

A little off topic...Up in Siskyou co. they have a program where road kill that is salvageable is distributed to needy familys.

[Big_Boy_4005]

UP has to quit letting the grass grow on the tracks.[swg]

BBQ sounds nice., but if you can find a nice prime rib in that mess, it would be even better.[dinner]

[adrianspeeder]

mmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmm

[cherokee woman]

Hush, you all. And don't any of you DARE bring roadkill to the Diner!!!!

[Randy Stahl]

Cattle and drunks seem to like falling asleep on the tracks it seems.....I wonder what the atraction is, or how they relate?
Randy

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cherokee woman

Hush, you all. And don't any of you DARE bring roadkill to the Diner!!!!

But CW, this isn't "roadkill", it's "rail roadkill". Much tastier once you pick the ballast out.[swg]

[espeefoamer]

I'll take a rack of baby back ribs smotherd in BBQ sauce [dinner] [:)][:D]!

[greyhounds]

Dog Food!

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by greyhounds

Dog Food!

EXACTLY !!!

Not for Human consumption !!!![xx(]
(although our Huskie would Love it !!)

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

QUOTE: Originally posted by cherokee woman

Hush, you all. And don't any of you DARE bring roadkill to the Diner!!!!

But CW, this isn't "roadkill", it's "rail roadkill". Much tastier once you pick the ballast out.[swg]

Cooked over old railroad ties for the tasty creosote flavor, much better than mesquite. "Its the wood that makes it good."[dinner][;)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

QUOTE: Originally posted by cherokee woman

Hush, you all. And don't any of you DARE bring roadkill to the Diner!!!!

But CW, this isn't "roadkill", it's "rail roadkill". Much tastier once you pick the ballast out.[swg]

Cooked over old railroad ties for the tasty creosote flavor, much better than mesquite. "Its the wood that makes it good."[dinner][;)]

Eric, you are hereby appointed chef. Happy grilling.[C=:-)][C):-)][dinner][;)]

[miniwyo]

Guess What...

If that state has the same laws that Wyoming does, which is most likley the case....

UP has to pay for this accident, weather or not they got loose, or it was open range or other. They must pay for each beef, and every calf that the each cow would have had in her lifetime. This is the case with highway accidents as well, if your car were to hit a cow, you must pay for the cow, and every calf that it may have had, as well as all the repairs to your vehicle.

Hate to be the bean counter to get that bill!!!

[trainboyH16-44]

30? Wow.....

[Mookie]

Miniwyo- you beat me to that one. I had heard years ago that the railroad was responsible for damages when livestock were killed.

Let's see - farmer facing bankruptcy herds cattle out to railroad property, retires in style.....

I never thought monetary damages from railroads smelled quite right, but I am big on accountability for your own actions. YOUR cattle get out and get killed or injured. Your loss. Why should the railroad be responsible for themselves and everyone else that "tresspasses".....

(no I am not ALL pro-railroad. I will find something to bite the railroads about later!)

Mook

[Big_Boy_4005]

Man, those have to be some old laws!!! UP better get it's legal department in gear and work to get them repealed. That's just not good for business.

[Anonymous]

i heard a story from my dad, many years ago(before me) him and a friend were in Chillicothe, mid- freezing winter. in the distance, they hear *MMMMMMMMM...........MMMMM......MMMM" learns this to be a very muffled AMTRAK horn. and as it comes closer, they see this HORRENDOUS sight of red.....furry.....frozen goo all over the front of the engine(includeing goo and chunks filling the horns)! turns out they plowed through a small herd of sheep through the mountains ( eastbound Cheif). never had a chance to swap engines out, and luckily iw as so cold to keep it all frozen so it wouldnt cook and stink

[Anonymous]

Scroll down to the last pic on the bottom of this page. It's the front of an engine after hitting a horse at 60mph. Can't imagine 30 cattle.
http://krugtales.50megs.com/rrpictale/p010420/p010420.htm

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheS.P.caboose

Back in 1984, while riding the Coast Starlight we came to a stop because of cattle on the track near San Luis Obispo.

Must have been before California had "Smart Cows"[:D][:D]

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LAHDPOP

Scroll down to the last pic on the bottom of this page. It's the front of an engine after hitting a horse at 60mph. Can't imagine 30 cattle.
http://krugtales.50megs.com/rrpictale/p010420/p010420.htm

Oooooooo yuck, that's going to need a hose and a wire brush. [xx(]

It gives new meaning to the term "iron horse".[:0]

Would have been more fitting if it had been Norfolk Southern.[;)]

By the way, I thought California cows were happy, not smart. At least that's what they say on TV. Makes you wonder what kind of grass they are grazing on.[swg]

[tree68]

Saw that picture before of the locomotive that hit the horse at speed. Notice I didn't mention seeing the horse.

Wonder if the end result will be similar to an accident on an Interstate near here. A tractor-trailer hauling fruit went off the road. Clean-up crews figured "hey, it's just fruit - just let it sit. It'll go away on its own." Animals found the stash and it was roadkill alley until somebody decided maybe they should clean up the fruit.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68

Saw that picture before of the locomotive that hit the horse at speed. Notice I didn't mention seeing the horse.

Wonder if the end result will be similar to an accident on an Interstate near here. A tractor-trailer hauling fruit went off the road. Clean-up crews figured "hey, it's just fruit - just let it sit. It'll go away on its own." Animals found the stash and it was roadkill alley until somebody decided maybe they should clean up the fruit.

Sounds like a case of "accidental baiting".[:p]

[miniwyo]

Mookie, The reason I know this is I know a guy who owned a farm next ot my great granddad's near Bayard Ne. It was also bordered by the BNSF and they only hit 1 cow, but nontheless they still had to pay for it.

Also, I know a guy who hit one with his 1995 Ford Powerstroke, It rippend the front end apart, tore out the engine, transmission, and front axle. He not only had to buy a new truck, but had to pay for the cow.