Western Railroad Discussion > They are doing it again

Guess they never stopped.   Interesting report from an LA photo journalist on all the theft at the east lead of UP's LATC intermodal terminal in downtown Los Angeles.  According to this they cleaned up all the box litter off the row last month, only to have the same thing there again now.   UPS and others not telling people their "delayed" packages were pilfered when tracking.  Video shows a Special Agent out there chasing people off.  From the looks of it, they need the cavalry.  Maybe this could make a dent in some of UP's intermodal volume. 

 https://unrollthread.com/t/1481770722271760384/

They should start cutting people hand off too teach these dumb people a lesson??

How can you say they're doing it again when they never stopped in the first place?

PHall Wrote:
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> How can you say they're doing it again when they
> never stopped in the first place?

Yeah, my first sentence.   The story says they cleaned up the litter that was first reported back in Oct or Nov.  I have not seen any more reporting on it until now, so I assumed the this litter is new. 

Easy way to fix this is to build well cars like SP did--with end braces/bulkheads that extend up to the 2nd box.  No way to open the doors then.  Freight claims would drop tremendously.

It's doubtful this will end any time soon.   Current laws in CA make this nothing more than a slap on the wrist, etc.
The problem now is, with the news reporting it, word will spread and it will expand.   

            In cases like this, the quickest way to get peoples attention ( UP, the police, the judges, attorneys, whoever ) is to take your money elsewhere when doing any ( ANY ) business with them or in their state.

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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>             In cases like this, the quickest
> way to get peoples attention ( UP, the police, the
> judges, attorneys, whoever ) is to take your money
> elsewhere when doing any ( ANY ) business with
> them or in their state.

As to UPS customers, they don't have a choice how their shipments are run other than paying higher prce for air.   If UPS starts getting bad press and angry shippers that's more newsworhy than a railroad, so they could pull their stuff off UP.   That might get someone's attenton.  I continue to be amazed that UP hasn't at least hired private security (forget about them hiring more SAs).   I am also amazed that the enviro-sensitive politicians in Los Angeles haven't come unglued seeing all that trash and passed some kind of oridance against intermodal loading/unloading.  

railcity Wrote:
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> They should start cutting people hand off too
> teach these dumb people a lesson??
Exactly!! You've got choices among a few countries where they do that...so Bon Voyage! Enjoy your new digs! 

This has gone on for years. When I worked for BNSF in Denver, we had problems until we put 7 people in jail. I was sent twice to Needles twice to help stake out stack trains that were hit between Barstow and Needles. I heard about the same time UP was having their trains hit as far east as Green River, WY by undocumented visitors.

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Pretty hard to get on a train if it's moving fast enough.

World news now.  See the Daily Mail.    Here's a UP spokesman comment:'Union Pacific is very concerned about the increased cargo thefts in California, and we have taken several steps to address this criminal activity,' the railroad company said in a statement.'These rail crimes pose a serious safety threat to the public, our employees and local law enforcement officers.'We have increased the number of Union Pacific special agents on patrol, and we have utilized and explored additional technologies to help us combat this criminal activity. 'We also will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners and elected leaders.'
Just watching the Tucson rail cam and noticed several open doors on a City of Industry originating train.  So it's not just Lincoln Heights.    Wondering if this is one reason UP wants to get a lift site up at West Colton.   

coach Wrote:
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> Easy way to fix this is to build well cars like SP did--with end braces/bulkheads that extend up to the 2nd box.  No way to open the doors then.  Freight claims would drop tremendously.
>
Yes! You beat me to it. It's only common sense! Today's double-stacked well cars have such a huge, inviting gap between the containers. "Attactive nuisanace" is the insurance term someone mentioned in another thread in a different context, but the vulnerability established is the same.
 

SAAP Wrote:
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> coach Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Easy way to fix this is to build well cars like
> SP did--with end braces/bulkheads that extend up
> to the 2nd box.  No way to open the doors
> then.  Freight claims would drop tremendously.
> >
> Yes! You beat me to it. It's only common sense!
> Today's double-stacked well cars have such a huge,
> inviting gap between the containers. "Attactive
> nuisanace" is the insurance term someone mentioned
> in another thread in a different context, but the
> vulnerability established is the same.
>  

There's a reason why they stopped building those cars over 20 years ago. They weigh more then the well cars which means you have to burn more fuel to haul them which raises costs.
In today's "profit is the only thing" business world do you really think they're going to voluntarily spend more money when they don't have to?

PHall Wrote:
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> There's a reason why they stopped building those
> cars over 20 years ago. They weigh more then the
> well cars which means you have to burn more fuel
> to haul them which raises costs.
> In today's "profit is the only thing" business
> world do you really think they're going to
> voluntarily spend more money when they don't have
> to?

Management will take notice when loss claims due to lack of security starts cutting into the bottom line.  But if the shippers don't stick UP with the bill they won't do anything.  I wonder how much UPS is investigating this and if they will be giving UP the bill.

From my industry source, the below from UP.
George Cascón, DA, pro criminal, is a problem. just as he was in San Francisco. Stupid California voters elect these idiots.
---

Union Pacific said … in the last three months of the year it made over 100 arrests of "active criminals vandalizing our trains" in partnership with the LA police department and Los Angeles Sherriff department. But Union Pacific, which has its own police department with jurisdiction over the 32,000 miles of tracks it owns, said that even as it has expanded its security resources and partnered more closely with local law enforcement, the problem isn't going away. After being arrested individuals are released from custody within 24 hours, it said.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/22 22:10 by stash.

wingomann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There's a reason why they stopped building
> those
> > cars over 20 years ago. They weigh more then
> the
> > well cars which means you have to burn more
> fuel
> > to haul them which raises costs.
> > In today's "profit is the only thing" business
> > world do you really think they're going to
> > voluntarily spend more money when they don't
> have
> > to?
>
> Management will take notice when loss claims due
> to lack of security starts cutting into the bottom
> line.  But if the shippers don't stick UP with
> the bill they won't do anything.  I wonder how
> much UPS is investigating this and if they will be
> giving UP the bill.

Just "fix the numbers"....which is PART of the problem...??!!!!

You can't make this stuff up.

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