Western Railroad Discussion > Trackside warning

Be alert for burning bears falling off power poles.

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/cskt-division-of-fire-puts-out-grass-fire-started-by-bear-falling-from-power-pole

You just don't need to make this stuff up.

The story doesn't say the identity of the bear.  Was that Smoky bear?

PETA will be contacting the ACLU to file a lawsuit on behalf of the deceased bear for negligence against the power company for not taking proper steps to make sure bears will not climb a power pole.

jst3751 Wrote:
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> PETA will be contacting the ACLU to file a lawsuit
> on behalf of the deceased bear for negligence
> against the power company for not taking proper
> steps to make sure bears will not climb a power
> pole.


Way too funny!!!

okrifan Wrote:
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> The story doesn't say the identity of the bear. 
> Was that Smoky bear?

He was "Smoky" after that. Ben

Many of the high voltage lines out here in the west usually have a cover or a separating device over the the neutral wire in a three wire circuit to make it harder for big birds and critters to complete the circuit and instantly render themselves well done. There have been many, many pole fires started by a large bird like an eagle, hawk, osprey and condors roosting on the crossarm, stretching their wings and going up in a flash! And that flash usually results in a power surge which does all kinds of nasty things to all things electrical.
Not to mention what happens when the well done critter falls on to the brush below.

okrifan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The story doesn't say the identity of the bear. 
> Was that Smoky bear?


I think it was Firey the bear, sex unreported, until the fire team arrived. Then it was just a wet bear especially after the water drop helicopter arrived.

I wonder if it will receive national news coverage this evening?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/20 15:55 by fbe.

Good one.
Just a bit of humor helps a lot these days.

BNModeler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jst3751 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > PETA will be contacting the ACLU to file a
> lawsuit
> > on behalf of the deceased bear for negligence
> > against the power company for not taking proper
> > steps to make sure bears will not climb a power
> > pole.
>
>
> Way too funny!!!

There is a "prototype for everything".
Doug

Da bear tested positive for covid...

I can see a Miniatronics campfire circuit installed with an led inside a hollowed out black bear casting. The bear has one hind foot on the pole with the other 3 released like it is falling to the ground. A print out of the newspaper article would help explain the scene.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/20 17:36 by fbe.

Back many decades ago when I was still in high school, there was a loud bang followed by sudden darkness one fall evening.  Went outside to find a squirrel had bridged from the phase conductor to the transformer can and blown the fuse (hence the big bang).  Squirrel was then on fire, fell to the ground, and had managed to set the dry grass in the ditch on fire. 

Critter versus electrical equipment is a common cause of power outages.  The critter gets across a couple of phases, sparks fly, it's electrocuted, and falls off the pole.  If it stays across the circuit long enough, they burn or explode, leaving nothing more than bits.

I've been on the receiving end of outages caused by rats, squirrels, raptors, bobcats, and more.  I'm sure car versus pole, storm and tree damage, and equipment failures are more common causes of outages, but animals have to be up the list.

I'd like to hear about the Bobcat story.