Western Railroad Discussion > Four trains and a large herd of sheep at MP-351

Not long after it got light this morning I heard the UP DS3 dispatcher telling someone that there was an EB train at Ticeska, Idaho and that they would see two WB’s before they would get to head east themselves. Wow, 4 trains back to back! I was going to have a busy morning. Little did I know what else lay in store. So, I set up and caught the 1st WB and shortly behind him came the 2nd WB. Sometime during my walk back to the house and unknown to me at the time, one of the two trains’ crews called in seeing a heard of sheep about to cross the tracks at MP-351. As I reached my front door I saw two guys with red flags start across the grade crossing. Now, what’s this all about? I watched for a few moments then realized what was going on when I heard all the sheep bleeting. I quickly headed down to the crossing to warn the herders of the oncoming EB trains. As I reached the crossing a UP MOW crew arrived to do the same thing and assist as needed. Only a few moments later and the 1st headlights appeared. The herders had not contacted the railroad and were going to just cross the tracks if they didn’t see any headlights. In a time when it seems it’s “always the railroads fault” here’s one incident that proves the railroads do it right. The pictures tell the rest of the story, enjoy!

1. UP-8570 West, the 1st of two westbound trains is approaching the grade crossing at MP-351.
2. UP-7744 West is the 2nd WB train and possibly it’s crew is the one who called in the herd of sheep at the crossing.
3. Myself and the UP MOW crew arrives to assist with the herd.

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4. Another view of the crew forming a barricade to keep the sheep from the tracks.
5. UP-8711 East with a long mixed manifest arrives at the grade crossing.
6. UP-8711 East and a view through the crossing to the herd.

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7. UP-8711’s rear DPU’s in a going away shot at MP-351.
8. Just minutes later UP-7492 East brings another mixed manifest through the crossing.
9. Nose view of UP-7492 with the now spreading sheep herd in the background.

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10. Undercar shot showing the UP MOW crew still assisting with the sheep.
11. As the rear DPU passes, a quick handshake from the MOW crew and the herd prepares to move.
12. The lead dog brings the herd safely across the tracks.

From the time the 1st WB train passed till the herd started across the tracks was just at 70 minutes. Could they have gotten the herd across the tracks safely with no intervention on my part or the railroads? Possibly. It’s just nice knowing that an alert crew made the call and a nearby MOW crew came out to assist and ensure a safe crossing was made. Having personally witnessed the gruesome aftermath of a Semi vs Sheep herd encounter, I’m glad this story has a happy ending.

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Lamb chops and roast leg of lamb are always tasty!

Glad they made it across the tracks OK. Thanks for the pictures and story.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/12 10:03 by Cumbresfan.

'Shear' luck you were there Bob! Happy Thanksgiving! ;-)

Posted from iPhone

"Ewe" always post the best shots...bahahaha! Could not resist...

Great catch---what type camera are you shooting with and did you us photoshop on your images

Dale Smith

Great post Robert!
JEB

Love that last shot, Bob!
Ewe are a good photographer! :O)

Many "dudes" from the East and Midwest--and many metro areas all over the country--don't realize that moving herds of cattle or sheep is still a common practice in many areas of the West. Really neat that you captured it. I have seen circumstances where the dispatcher informed a train to run at restricted speed, prepared to stop, because of livestock movements. Many of the train crews in my area are from farming and ranching backgrounds--and some still do one or the other on the side--so they are empathetic to ranchers when they are making these movements. Also, numerous states still have "fence-out" laws. A discusion of that can be found here:

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout&cid=1176829292622&p=1176829292622&pagename=CDAGWrapper

Colorado's law discussed above is pretty similar to ones found in most "open-range" states. That is why railroads often get to pay for livetock that they hit on their rights-of-way in many open-range states.

Great story and great shots to go with it. Cudo's to the UP crew!!!

Reminds me of the time I ran an interurban car on Manx Electric Railway (on the Isle of Man) and had to sound the whistle several times to "encourage" a band of sheep to keep moving.

Many years ago, Orange Empire Ry. Museum had a neighbor whose small band of woollies would get out and wander about the museum grounds. They did provide weed control, but their droppings were a nuisance. Usually, by the time we started operating, they'd be heading for home, but sometimes they'd be near the track when the streetcar went by, and visitors, especially children, would be quite delighted to see this evidence that they were "really out in the country".

I guess with a band of sheep that large, the herder couldn't fit them all into a "Ewe-Haul" trailer.

VERY punny, DNRY! LOL!
I am VERY glad the RR knew about the herd
before they got onto the tracks -- my big
kudos also to the UP! It would have been
very baaaa-d had the train hit those poor
sheep.
VERY nice photos and story, CFWRRCEO!

Really good story and pictures. Poor cold, shorn sheep. They look almost embarrased!!

Great post and nice shots.

However, I believe it is a "flock", not a "herd". Cowboys might take a fit of offense giving sheep equal billing to cattle! :-)

I used to work with a tech whose ancestors came from the Basque country. According to him, a collection of sheep is a "band" and the person in charge is a "sheepherder" (not a "shepherd").

And...good catch on the sheepdog looking behind him as if to say to the sheep, "Dress up that line, guys!"

I was riding an excursion train on the ex-Sacramento Northern track of the Western Ry. Museum in Solano County, CA, and saw a band of sheep with a donkey watching over them--he eats the same food as the sheep, and can intimidate any coyotes in the neighborhood. Of course, one can imagine one of the sheep saying, "Have you seen our new supervisor? He's a real jackass!"

And the car I had before DN122 was a Dodge Aries (which is also my Zodiac sign).

Brings back memories. As a child, we spent springs and summers in the Idaho mountains. We lived next to the main route to move sheep and cattle from the lowlands into the mountains for summering. Many a morning I would awake to the bleat of sheep or moo of cattle because they kept the herds about a mile away in a meadow. Between the meadow and our house, the herds had to use a short section of US Highway 95, so herders liked to hit that stretch at first light.

Interesting pics!!!! Thanks for sharing.

So, just where is MP 351? What town is around there? When did this happen?

This does relate to the tragic incident in Midland, TX. If the UP went to these lengths for a flock of sheep, what would they have done for a parade in Texas? If someone would have actually told the UP about the parade.

I'm always amazed when people don't make a simple phone call. A whole heap of problems could be averted by a few more phone calls.