Western Railroad Discussion > Sunday morning runaround

Here is a quick recap from last Sunday morning, January 23. Despite a lack of traffic, the clear skies and mild temps were reason enough for optimism.

1) Thanks to the Flagstaff railcam the night before, I saw Amtrak #3 was running with just one unit and was a couple of hours late. That gave me time to catch it in early morning light passing through Highgrove, CA.

2) An aside to “thatguy’s” IOTD post from yesterday, while still at Highgrove I witnessed what has been much discussed here recently on a passing eastbound UP.  Self-service building insulation with free delivery.  :}

3) Now up in Cajon Pass at Alray, clean BNSF 6989 hustles an eastbound stack train up Main track 1.
 

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I was headed home when I spotted BNSF SD70ACe 8582 (I like ACe’s) on the point of the eastbound KAIBAR getting ready to leave Kaiser Yard in Fontana for Barstow.

4) Poor decision making on my part resulted in the “ultimate wedge shot” passing Juniper Ave in Fontana on the former Santa Fe Second District.

Determined to do better, I headed back up to Cajon Pass and waited on the straightaway between Cajon and Sullivan’s Curve.

5) Another poor decision as the 8582 paralleled a bare-table with leader BNSF 7020, all the way up the Pass.

6) You can’t win em’all :{
 

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7) I was disappointed with the result so I tried a final attempt at Summit. Luckily the bare-table stopped short so I was able to salvage the trip to Summit.

8) One last shot for the hi-rail fans out there.

Time to head for home once again, but this time I made it without turning back. As always, thanks for looking.

OYW
 

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I have to wonder what are the odds of getting something good when a burglar breaks into a container?  Tires, insulation, patio set, not very easy to cart the stuff away.   

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

webmaster Wrote:
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> I have to wonder what are the odds of getting
> something good when a burglar breaks into a
> container?  Tires, insulation, patio set, not
> very easy to cart the stuff away.  


I don't like to admit it... but it's simply a crime of opportunity. A cheap ($18.99) pair of Harbor Freight bolt cutters is all it takes to quickly crack open 6-10 boxes on a stopped stack or piggyback train. A quick peek inside to determine if there are any (swap meet level) resellable valuables inside or not and the vandals can be off and away within 7-10 minutes.

The RRs and shippers don't care (enough) at this point, letting existing shipping insurance agreements deal with the lost sales. Which by the way are really <1% of the shipped volumes out there on any given day.

What really hurts the most is the PR issues that Union Pacific (for example) is getting right now with all the (now international) media attention on just one tiny little 1/2 mile piece of track outside of Downtown Los Angeles... UP runs all sorts of freight across 2/3 of U.S. states... you really think some cardboard trash along the right of way along one 1/2 mile stretch of track in Southern California is really hurting their bottom line? Yeah Right. They really just don't want all the cameras watching the scene.

~ Mr. MRL

MrMRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> webmaster Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have to wonder what are the odds of getting
> > something good when a burglar breaks into a
> > container?  Tires, insulation, patio set, not
> > very easy to cart the stuff away.  
>
>
> I don't like to admit it... but it's simply a
> crime of opportunity. A cheap ($18.99) pair of
> Harbor Freight bolt cutters is all it takes to
> quickly crack open 6-10 boxes on a stopped stack
> or piggyback train. A quick peek inside to
> determine if there are any (swap meet level)
> resellable valuables inside or not and the vandals
> can be off and away within 7-10 minutes.
>
> The RRs and shippers don't care (enough) at this
> point, letting existing shipping insurance
> agreements deal with the lost sales. Which by the
> way are really <1% of the shipped volumes out
> there on any given day.
>
> What really hurts the most is the PR issues that
> Union Pacific (for example) is getting right now
> with all the (now international) media attention
> on just one tiny little 1/2 mile piece of track
> outside of Downtown Los Angeles... UP runs all
> sorts of freight across 2/3 of U.S. states... you
> really think some cardboard trash along the right
> of way along one 1/2 mile stretch of track in
> Southern California is really hurting their bottom
> line? Yeah Right. They really just don't want all
> the cameras watching the scene.
>
> ~ Mr. MRL

I totally agree with your assessment of the situation.  UP just hates the bad PR it's getting regarding the container theft.  The number of containers getting broken into is extremely small compared to the number being moved.  Last Saturday, I saw the 3 that I posted photos of and 2 truck trailers that were open and that was it, out of the sevral hundred containers and trailers that were on 5 eastbound trains.

I'd think the culprits were a little sophisticated and realized around the holidays there was greater probability of getting consumer type products.  They may even be dialed in somehow to which trains are more likely
to have products they like.  Each theft may not have huge value but requires handling for customers and possibly the railroad.  Some shippers may not bother to file claims but still requires handling by shippers.

Of course now after publicity and probably increased enforcement we are less likely to see pilferred containers.

Bob

Edit:  Yes a nice set of images, don't want to just get caught up in....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/22 06:22 by robj.

Great shots!  I especially like NO. 6 with ACe meeting the baretable.

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Another fine bunch. I actually like the ACe over the baretable.
JB

Fantastic series!

MrMRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> webmaster Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have to wonder what are the odds of getting
> > something good when a burglar breaks into a
> > container?  Tires, insulation, patio set, not
> > very easy to cart the stuff away.  
>
>
> I don't like to admit it... but it's simply a
> crime of opportunity. A cheap ($18.99) pair of
> Harbor Freight bolt cutters is all it takes to
> quickly crack open 6-10 boxes on a stopped stack
> or piggyback train. A quick peek inside to
> determine if there are any (swap meet level)
> resellable valuables inside or not and the vandals
> can be off and away within 7-10 minutes.
>
> The RRs and shippers don't care (enough) at this
> point, letting existing shipping insurance
> agreements deal with the lost sales. Which by the
> way are really <1% of the shipped volumes out
> there on any given day.
>
> What really hurts the most is the PR issues that
> Union Pacific (for example) is getting right now
> with all the (now international) media attention
> on just one tiny little 1/2 mile piece of track
> outside of Downtown Los Angeles... UP runs all
> sorts of freight across 2/3 of U.S. states... you
> really think some cardboard trash along the right
> of way along one 1/2 mile stretch of track in
> Southern California is really hurting their bottom
> line? Yeah Right. They really just don't want all
> the cameras watching the scene.

It also doesn't help that trains frequently stop there making them easy targets.

Nice bunch of results for all the back-and-forth.  Really like the Amtrak shot and #7
Brian Stevens

Just because we see open doors doesn't necessarily mean items are missing.

Shoes, electronics, guns are 3 of the biggies. Very high expense items can be shipped in 20 foot marine containers. Those can be loaded with the doors facing each other making them next to impossible to open.

Allen

Posted from Android

Nice series and lighting; good to see an ACe on the point.
GK

Nice pics!!

After the on-site press/media event trackside in LA where Governor Newsom was filmed helping to pick up all of the trash left benind, he apologized for having called the perpetrators a gang, rather than an  "organized group of individuals".