Two New DVD/Blu-ray Releases! RAILROAD NEWS AND COMMENTARY FROM WASHINGTON BY WES VERNON Terror On the Rails: Wake-Up Calls?
EVER SINCE 9/11, there have been dangerous indications that terrorists might find it easi- er to inflict their evil deeds on America’s rail system. Why not? We have seen from transit experiences in such far away places as Spain and the United Kingdom that terrorism can happen almost anywhere. Why would we think the U.S. is any different? In the U.S., two apparently non-terrorist
attacks have prompted security officials at railroad stations to double-down on their ef- forts to protect lives and railroad property. . Stealing a train? In Wyoming, train-steal-
ing initially may have been viewed as some- thing of a joy ride for one Derek Stryker Brux on October 9, 2014. Actually, he knows (far from any “joy”) he may end up in the slammer for two years. “I ended up getting upset,” he explained to
District Court Judge Scott Scavdahl, “[so I] stole two [BNSF] locomotives and got on the main line.
“I disabled two switches,” he added. And just why? Casper, Wyo., media report
that Brux received a phone call super-early in the morning October 9 from a Rail Link su- pervisor at a coal mine where he worked. Ap- parently, the call angered him. Brux, accord- ing to his attorney, has a bipolar disorder. The charges: Brux was 22 when arrested.
The charges are “violence against railroad carriers and mass transportation systems on land, on water or in the air.” He has made a plea deal with the prose-
cutor for 18 to 24 months prison time and $63,000 restitution for damage to the switch- es. But the judge is not bound by the prose- cutor’s recommendation. In fact, he can boot the damages up to as high as a $250,000 fine and up to 20 years behind bars, allowing him to ample time to consider whether his mad-on was worth it. Mr. Brux remains free on bond in the custo-
dy of his mom, who monitors the lad’s mental health evaluation and care. The real issue: Not meaning to belittle se- riousness of the damage and possible death that could have resulted here, but this thing could have been a lot worse: What if some crazed terrorist had managed to board the lo- comotive intending to inflict as much death on as many as possible? Brux didn’t kill anyone, but his little temper tantrum did indicate how easy it is for someone even more irresponsible to bring death or serious injury to many. Terrorism? Some frequent railroad trav-
elers know that just about anyone with basic knowledge of how to run a locomotive can gain access to one and take off. One serious railroader added, “Idling engines are at many yards across the U.S., often with no guards or supervision. All you need are certain devices known to professionals.” Another “Could-a”: Meanwhile, here in Washington, our Metrorail subway system was put to the test in a rush hour accident when the ventilation fans were inoperative. It was an “electrical malfunction” that was “eas- ily foreseeable.” Several other missteps such as failure to act quickly, inability to commu- nicate among firemen and subway personnel,
and more contributed to the problem. It might be called a comedy of errors, except that there was nothing comedic about it. One woman died of smoke inhalation, and 80 others were taken to the hospital. The National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) is investigating. Pure incompetence? Perhaps. Hopefully, the probe will assure us that we are protected against the ability of a terrorist — strategically placed — to inflict deliberate damage. A multi-million-dollar lawsuit is being filed.
High-Speed On the Move
The Chinese and the Russians are building a multi-billion dollar high-speed rail link be- tween Beijing and Moscow. A social media post by the Chinese government reports the project will provide “super-fast transport” across central Asia that will compete with the Trans-Siberian Railway, cutting travel time between the two countries from six days to two. (Imagine that — long distance travel at “high speed.” We here in North America have so far confined our HSR efforts to the corridors.) Mexico: Our neighbor to the south is plunging into the HSR business, attempting to get started on a proposed linkage of Mexico City with Queretaro, as part of a plan to de- velop an industrial corridor between the two cities, 120 miles apart. Best estimate as to the cost of the high-speed train (about 180 m.p.h.) is $3.75 billion. The state-run China Railway Construction
Corp. was the lone bidder on the project. Po- tential rivals complained the bidding process was unnecessarily (and suspiciously) short. The uproar has prompted Mexico to revoke the contract with the Chinese, this time prom- ising to keep the tender open for six months. Back here at home: Early in January,
our country’s California High-Speed Rail Authority joined hundreds of supporters and government, student, community, transpor- tation, business, and labor leaders at a site for the future station in downtown Fresno. The first phase of construction will build north through a largely rural area towards Madera, a relatively short portion of the stretch from San Francisco to Los Angeles. For now, the Authority was obligated to have some trackage on the ground in order to pro- ceed with the project without having to start the process all over again. That leaves more time to negotiate or battle with property owners and other NIMBYs near more heavily populated urban areas.
No, Not Again!
The nation’s rail system has been through months of slowdowns on its Class I rail sys- tem. Some of that has been alleviated, but now we are told to prepare for a jam-up so in- tense that we run the risk of seeing a system that comes perilously close to a grinding halt. Two main possibilities lurk: 1) If the controversial Keystone Pipeline is
not built, an extra 700,000 barrels of oil per day will have to be shipped by rail. But let’s just say that — possibly by the
with BNSF, NPR, DMV&W and Amtrak. Plus Des Lacs Valley• Minot • Valley City Trestle • Oil Wells 93 min. each • Color • Rail Map • Narration On/Off
VOLUME TWO – Canadian Pacific along
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The Railroad That Came Out at Night
Author Frank Kyper recounts stories of railroading around the Boston area between 1957 and 1977. From Union Freight, to Boston & Maine, to South Station, the great Chelsea fire, as well as local short lines and other historic tidbits. Relive the days of classic railroading in The Hub... Order today!
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AND OTHER TRAINS ACROSS THE NORTH DAKOTA PRAIRIE
See unit trains of crude oil tankers, grain, frac sand, intermodals, freight and locals.
with some CP and Amtrak trains. Plus Gassman Coulee Trestle • Minot • Soo Tower • Oil Wells
VOLUME ONE – Featuring BNSF along
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