by Gadfly
Yesterday about 4 PM I was working my part-time gig and came up beside the old "GEBO" line (remnant of the old Norfolk & Southern line from Hickory, NC to Columbia, SC). I noticed an old beat-up Nissan pickup FOULING the right of way. Surely this vehicle was stalled and no one was around, and obviously, there was no way for a train to clear him. I immediately called the NS District Dispatcher and 911. Then I went out with a flag to sign down any trains that might come. This line is now an industry spur (about 10 miles long) and I kinda figured that it was unlikely that there would be any moves that day, but "Expect trains on any track at any time, from ANY direction", goes the Rulebook, so...................................
Shortly several cop cars showed up with lights flashing (looking like a MAJOR traffic scene ) then a Signal Maintainer. We pushed the old truck off the RoW and down a side street.
After it was over, I was driving MY work truck and thinking about WHY somebody would park a vehicle right ON the ballast (not at a crossing, either)? How did it stall in just THAT place? Did it quit going uphill and the people coasted backwards off the road not thinking where they had ended up? Did they not KNOW where they ARE? Maybe they thought that, since they were "off" the road, it was a good place to leave it? Then I had a wry thought: Maybe they they did it on purpose hoping to get a new truck!
It's amazing what folks do around railroad tracks!
GF
Shortly several cop cars showed up with lights flashing (looking like a MAJOR traffic scene ) then a Signal Maintainer. We pushed the old truck off the RoW and down a side street.
After it was over, I was driving MY work truck and thinking about WHY somebody would park a vehicle right ON the ballast (not at a crossing, either)? How did it stall in just THAT place? Did it quit going uphill and the people coasted backwards off the road not thinking where they had ended up? Did they not KNOW where they ARE? Maybe they thought that, since they were "off" the road, it was a good place to leave it? Then I had a wry thought: Maybe they they did it on purpose hoping to get a new truck!
It's amazing what folks do around railroad tracks!
GF