Western Railroad Discussion > Shots Fired at UP 1996

Late last night reports developed that the cab of 1996 was shot at south of Bench as the train was descending down the Silverwood Cutoff. The same reports from inside sources say 1996 has at least two bullet holes, with one of them making it through the cab. The suspects, still at large, were standing on the track, forcing the train into E-Brakes. The locomotive now shows to have made it to its terminating point. No one was injured or killed, but the crew was definitely shook up. I will post more updates as they become available.

Schon Norris
Salt Lake City, UT
Railroad Roll-By Podcast



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/17 09:17 by Scone_Empire.

Hope they find the bastards.

Amazing times that we live in... Thank God no one was hurt.

Follow up! Apparently "UP 1996 South" wasn't the only train in crosshairs. I'm also hearing that "UP 7098 North" (MWCRO-01) was also shot at as it was preparing to meet 1996 at Slover. Very bad night for the crews along this stretch of track.

Schon Norris
Salt Lake City, UT
Railroad Roll-By Podcast

Glad nobody was injured.

I would expect an amp'd police presence in the area for a while.

Posted from Android

The gun-nuttery has been a fixture up there for a long time. Pretty much every roadside sign along the forest roads in the
Pass were being used for "target practice" when I lived out there 30+ years ago. It was surreal standing on a hill in the Pass
and hearing the sound of bullets whizzing overhead, then hearing the report a second later.

This just takes it to a new level of idiocy/criminality/viciousness/inhumanity.

Hoping these animals are caught and prosecuted.

Robert Pierce
Sugar Land, TX
SWRails.com

If someone is shooting at you, why go into emergency braking?  Time for emergency acceleration, or emergency "gonna run you over, you moron."

coach Wrote:
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> If someone is shooting at you, why go into
> emergency braking?  Time for emergency
> acceleration, or emergency "gonna run you over,
> you moron."

I hope the union asks UP for the company's "safety instruction" when a crew comes under gunfire. I'd be very interested to know what the company advises.

There are enough meth heads, crazies, pot farmers, and other folks armed with decent artillery to make this a more than academic question.

Sounds like it's time to allow AR-15s and 45s in locomotive cabs! I mean hell, if there going to allow them in SCHOOLS, why not trains?

Yeah, that guy would have been a flange greaser if he did that to my train. I ain't stopping.

Posted from Android

txtrainman43 Wrote:
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> Sounds like it's time to allow AR-15s and 45s in
> locomotive cabs! I mean hell, if there going to
> allow them in SCHOOLS, why not trains?

Why not turret mounted quad 50s? Chain gun?

TAW

Maybe it was some old SP fans who vowed to never give in to Omaha?
A joke guys, I know it is serious, as is random gunfire into freeways, etc.
When I was on the SP there, the NRA sanctioned targets appeared to be signal cases.
Some sober marksmen aimed for signals but even after two or three six-packs they could and did hit the signal cases.

The area around Slover siding and Bench is S*&t hole. It has been for sometime. There is always stuff put on the tracks and rock being thrown at trains and now gun shots. Awhile back a trainmen was attacked in this same area while having to walk his train a night. Not to long ago while a train was stopped at Bench some guy was climbing up the side of the engine like spider man up to the conductor's side window. Like the saying Beer is good, people are crazy!

CS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/17 13:56 by CaliforniaSteam.

jointauthority Wrote:
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> Yeah, that guy would have been a flange greaser if
> he did that to my train. I ain't stopping.
>
I'm gonna take a WAG and say the crew put the train into emergency before shots were fired.  There's a lot of us railfans in that area, but I'm going to avoid the area for awhile.  I often see the Cajon Summit security guards in that area, too bad they weren't there that night.

mapboy

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jointauthority Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yeah, that guy would have been a flange greaser
> if
> > he did that to my train. I ain't stopping.
> >
> I'm gonna take a WAG and say the crew put the
> train into emergency before shots were fired.
>  There's a lot of us railfans in that area, but
> I'm going to avoid the area for awhile.  I often
> see the Cajon Summit security guards in that area,
> too bad they weren't there that night.
>
> mapboy

Agree with the WAG. No need to second guess the crew who was actually there. Maybe the shooter put something on the tracks to force the crew to react, to make the train an easier target?

I've been in the Slover area to watch trains, but always during daytime, and usually in a middle of a chase where I don't have to stay long (less than 10 minutes). Usually, all I see are vehicle traffic, not too many people loitering. I guess this incident is a reminder to avoid that area at night at all costs.

I believe there will Union Pacific Police in the area.

sp2353 Wrote:
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> I believe there will Union Pacific Police in the
> area.

Where is this?

Posted from Android

sp2353 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe there will Union Pacific Police in the
> area.

You mean the ONE Union Pacific Police Officer who covers the entire Inland Empire?

NYSWSD70M Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sp2353 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I believe there will Union Pacific Police in
> the
> > area.
>
> Where is this?
>
> Posted from Android

Cajon Pass/Palmdale Cutoff area of California it sounds like.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/17 18:54 by Milwaukee.

The locations of Bench and Slover are not in Cajon Pass itself, but rather ~8 miles or so south along the Palmdale Cutoff in an urban area surrounded by the municipalities of Colton and Rialto.  Not too far from the Pepper Ave. overpass at the east end of UP's West Colton yard.  
GK     



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/17 19:30 by TheNavigator.