Western Railroad Discussion > Be careful railfaining Montana...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070611/ap_en_tv/letterman_plot_escape

My question is, what does Homeland Security have with these two fugitives?

I just had visions of the movie Runaway Train. I guess it would be Runaway Truck in this matter...

Tony

From reading the story, I would guess that Homeland Security makes its helicopters available to law enforcement if requested. In this case, the weather was not favorable to their use.

Bob

There are plenty of aircraft available locally. More likely some HS guys thought this might be a good excuse for a fishing trip to Montana. Trustees escaping from the prison is nothing new. The only difference is the media could make the connection between this guy and David Letterman.

When railfanning in Montana, I am always armed. Careful enough?

drew1946 Wrote:
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> When railfanning in Montana, I am always armed.
> Careful enough?

What, pray tell, is so dangerous about Montana that you feel you need to be armed when railfanning there???

In 2003, I spent a week in Montana (Billings, Harlowton, Deer Lodge, Livingston, Butte, Anaconda, Missoula) without a gun and never felt the need to have one.

If I were traveling in Montana now, I'd be more worried about rattlesnakes than the two escapees.

Dave

It is my preference to be armed, in Montana and lots of other places --- people in Montana don't pee their pants at the sight of a gun.

"Snakes" is the reason I carry one.

But then I also prospect, and have found that not all snakes
crawl on the ground.

But I will agree, Montana and Wyoming are two places that one is not likely
to need a sidearm.

A prospector once told me that you should always have your dog and your gun with you. The dog is so you'll have time to use the gun...
:-)

That may not be such a bad idea since it appears one of the miscreants did some shoplifiting is the general store at Clancy, MT, near Helena. Items taken include food, three knives and a box of 38 spl ammo.

Sure I have been know to carry when railfanning as well. It is just another form of entertainment during the mid day lull of trains. This works better if you step off the railroad's property onto public lands and only use the tools as paper punches leaving signs, gates, buildings and such out of your line of fire. This is Montana, afterall. I used to pack iron into the back to cash my check when I was in High School because the door locks on the company pick up did not work. I don't think I would do that now but then I live in a bigger town now. People are more nervous and not as likely to know you.

drew1946 Wrote:
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> It is my preference to be armed, in Montana and
> lots of other places --- people in Montana don't
> pee their pants at the sight of a gun.

My life experience is obviously radically different than yours. For most of my adult life, I've resided in central cities - never the suburbs. My work has often involved meeting with residents of urban core neighborhoods, some of which had major crime issues. Yet it never occurred to me that I should have a firearm with me. Nothing would more antagonize the people with whom I'm trying to work than to come into a house, church or meeting hall with a gun.

As for Montana, guns were even further from my mind. I wandered into a couple of bars where I felt a bit out of place, but so long as I paid for my beers and don't flirt with anyone's girlfriend, there were no problems.

Dave

Rule G,

I certainly do not carry a weapon around town. There are places I go where I almost always have something loaded with me. Very few people there but when someone says wild life in Montana they mean it. I grew up around hunters and target shooters so weapons, well more like sporting arms are familiar to me. It is a choice I make that I have been comfortable with over the years. No, I do not expect to discharge my firearm in the woods while hiking, camping or fishing. However, it is a long ways back to civilization to obtain one if you need it and once you get off the paved roads in Montana you can be really alone so you carry the tools you may need. I would certainly hate to see a mountain lion carry off a small child and stand hopelessly by empty handed.