Nostalgia & History > Were a Great Big Rail Rollin Road

Okay, so I transposed a few key words from a really pathetic slogan that used to adorn UP cabooses, but it fits what a friend and I found at Victorville one overcast morning almost a decade and a half ago while out committing blatant acts of criminal trespassing, loitering with intent, and other assorted high crimes and misdemeanors. What we found was that while backing into the small yard to await a shove westbound up Cajon Pass, one of two UP helper units had rolled a rail—which explained the pronounced starboard list to the unit as I approached it from behind. What I want to know from the learned here at TO is how does this pan out in terms of responsibility?
Santa Fe: “Ah, excuse me, but you’ve rolled one of our yard tracks, mind fixing it?”
Union Pacific: “Ah, excuse me, but your antique yard track just caused one of our SDs to drop a truck on the ties, mind putting it back on the rail for us?”
All right, so maybe the dialogue isn’t all that accurate (I live near Hollywood), but you get the nature of what I’m driving at, who pays for what in a case like this? I have this hunch that the UP paid for re-railing the unit while ATSF got to fix a yard track, but I’d like to know for sure if anyone can help. Any good “stories” that get attached I’ll just count as a bonus to the correct answer.
Be of Good Cheer,
—Mac

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It is written off as an expense either way, so the taxpayers pick up around 50% of the cost.

Santa Fe all the way. It was their track. The UP didn't do anything to cause it. It would have happened to a Santa Fe unit too. It's just one of those things.

I just love the tied handbrake on the engine...as if it's going to roll away some where.

JDE

Steamjocky Wrote:
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> I just love the tied handbrake on the engine...as
> if it's going to roll away some where.
>
> JDE

Steam,

But YOU know that if they hadn't they the crew would have been written up for a violation.

J.

J.Ferris Wrote:
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> Steamjocky Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> But YOU know that if they hadn't they the crew
> would have been written up for a violation.
>
> J.


John, I had the VC9 20 feet off centerline of track on the base at Port Hueneme and yes, I tied the handbrake. Just cause it was in run 6 went it went on the ground and being shoved by a bunch of tri-levels with no air under them, what the hell. The switch was lined to the left, I hung a right.

If an accident such as this occurs on "joint" trackage, the rerailing expense and track repairs are a joint expense of the carriers involved, unless the cause of the accident was crew responsibility, i.e., switch "run thru", excessive speed etc. If it is a joint expense, then it is shared under the formula in the joint facility's agreement, usually on a usage basis. And a side comment to the post above about "the taxpayers" paying 50% of the expense.....Does this mean I pay 50% of your mortgage insurance deduction on your tax return?

Norm