While in Pine Bluff looking at UP units in storage, my dad and I were approached by a guy claiming to be a employee checking out the engines. A grain train went by, but this guy said it was a soda ash train.
We had our suspicons, because his clipboard had a papers with a sheet that was evident it was once wadded up and it had nothing written on it. This guy had no UP hardhat and his ID was facing away. His orange vest was tattered and dirty. We told a ARM volumteer, who wrote what we said down and would give it to a UP cop. This fake has mental issues and has been arrested out in California. If you are in Pine Bluff and see this man(black, about 5’ 7", and has a large knowledge of railroads. also missing some teeth)
If you see him, and you are sure he is not a UP employee(He asked if we liked model rail, that the units were being moved out that night, that other units were being brought in and out, and some were going to Oklahoma)
I tell you, you can tell and figure out he’s fake because he doesn’t tell you what position he holds, and gets what any employee or railfan knows incorrect on some things.
The number to the UP police is 1-888-877-7267
This is serious, as he may do something to the railroad.
But please do not confuse a real employee for the fake.
OK. I guess there’s something you don’t run into every day!
Time for a similar story.
Years ago in the late 1960s as members of our local volunteer FD we often traveled in our own cars to distant sites where they were fighting large, multiple-alarm fires involving as many as 30 departments. This is how we learned. Fortunately, our area had few fires, so to get experience we drove to where the action was.
We followed the protocol of the time. We would first find out who was the OIC, ask if he needed help and 99% of the time were assigned to one of the working crews. As long as you were approved and assigned by the OIC everything was copacetic – this was neccesary to be covered under that department’s insurance, just in case of an injury.
Many times at these megafires we saw a guy who identified himself as “Fred R-------” (my censorship). He told us he was a Chicago fireman who came out to help on his day off. He had Chicago FD turnout gear, a Chicago FD helmet with authentic CFD leather front, and wore a CFD blue uniform with badge. He wore a portable two-way radio on his belt tuned to the CFD frequencies. “I never know when they’re gonna need me,” he said.
The leather helmet front he wore identified him as being assigned to SS1 – Snorkel Squad 1 – one of the busiest companies in the inner city. He was very knowledgeable about every aspect of firefighting and the CFD.
But I could never quite understand why a guy who rode a truck responding to fire call in a 40 square-mile urban area (avg. 20 calls per 24-hour shift, four working fires per shift) would on his day off … chase fires!
One day we decided to take advantage of the Chicago FD’s “Ride Along” progra
I remember reading once in the newspaper about a man who was obsessed with the subways and knew everything about how to run them. Well according to the article he would take over for people who didn’t show up for work. I remember the article said he too had the proper uniforms for many different subway jobs and was arrested several times for running subway cars. Funny thing is he always kept them on schedule and never caused any problems, because he was as knowledgeable as the employees! I believe this was in New York City(where else:)) and eventually after this happened a number of times it was discovered that he had a mental illness and he was put in a mental hospital. I think they just should have given him a job on the subway system[:)]
emmar
this fake UP employee could do some real damage if got behind the controls of a locomotive
Seems to me REAL UP employees can do alot of damage if they get behind the controls of a locomotive! [:D]
As a railroader the description of the man would fit 50% of all railfans.
A bit nutty, knowing only half the facts, being a wannabee railroader, collecting anything dropped or lost of a truck as long as it has railroad logo on it. And just as dangerous if given a chance to enter a cab.
Just how is he going to get behind the controls anyways, when i get relieved i know who it is and anyone else would have the cops called on them, the only way he would get control of a locomotive is to steel one out of the round house.
I doubt that this person will get ahold of a live locomotive. If he did, what is he gonna do with it?
People with issues tend to get taken care of without too much impact.
He might be a really, realllly obsessed railfan, and he looked at where some diesel had spilled on a tunnel motor truck, and said it was leaking lube oil.
He also was just checking the diesels, why check them? they’re not going anywhere.
But if I see him again, I will call the police on him.
Thanks spokyone. Makes me feel more normal to know that there are people out there who are substantually more obsessed with trains than me[:D]
emmar
Thank you for advancing the stereotype so articulately. I’m sure your 50 percent figure is accurate.
“While I may be a bit nutty,” he said to a man who proudly claims to be a dutch rail NUT, “I have never had an inking of an urge to work on a railroad. And I have never junked along the tracks, either, or waved to an engineer like I was fanning a flame. Just about all of the railroad memorabilia I own was purchased at sales in the homes of former railroaders, who had basements full of the stuff they ‘appropriated’ over their careers.”
It’s not that uncommon to see a train, more on class 1 railroads, to be unattended. Not all trains get relief crews right away. I’ve seen a lot of class 1 trains left in siding unattended. If this person really wants to get in a locomotive, he probably won’t have much trouble doing so. Keep your eye’s open out there. I see railfans all the time get right up to and in some rare occations climb into the cabs when they think no one is looking. For all the railroaders out there that read this you shouldn’t take this so lightly. From what I’ve read in some of the postings about this no one seems concerned. It doesn’t take much to move a locomotive and all the engineers reading this knows that. If someone looks like they’re going to do something stupid, report them.
I am a engineer myself. I’ve had people get on my locomotives in the past. In fact at the terminal I work out of we’ve had someone, in the middle of the night, get on a locomotive and took it for a ride to the next town and parked it there. That was just a light engine move. Can you imagine what could have happened if it was an actual train that he or she couldn’t have stopped. Just a thought to keep in the back of your mind.
To all the railfans out there that read this. Be smart about what you do. Take your pictures but keep your distance. You don’t know what could happen if you get to close.
To all the railroaders and railfans. Be safe. No one wants to see anyone get hurt.
UP rails have been told by the carrier to immediately report any trespasser on the property, from the clown mentioned in this thread to obvious “friendly” railfans. No exceptions.
Homeland Security is the rationale, but the reality is that the railroads transport hazmat and with stricter material tracking regulations coming down the pike, the fewer unauthorized folks the better.
The reporting number for UP is easy to remember, 1-888-UPRR-COP, good 24/7. You’ll be talking to someone in Omaha and they’ll need the following:
- Subdivision (if you know it, from the timetable)
- Milepost (if you know it)
- Common Location: City, State, nearest cross-streets
- Brief Description of Subject, and direction of travel.
- Local police can help in an immediate emergency, call 911.
I just removed the “sparring match” between RR Ken and Dutchrailfan because it was getting combative and personal. I have e-mailed them both privately.
I’m letting the rest of the thread stand because I think it does have merit on its own. “Fake” employess - albeit train engineers, doctors, airplane pilots, etc. - would be dangerous in just about any occupation and, therefore, other employees of that organization or professions should keep a close and careful eye out for them.
Just a reminder: If comments from one member or conversation between two or more members gets personal (i.e. argumentative, name-calling, etc.), please use the Report Abuse button at the bottom right of your screen. Thanks for your consideration.
Tom
Re the 'Fake Employee"., Why didnt you or your Dad notify the UP Police.,dont understand?What is a ARM Member?
at the time we didn’t know it, and when we found out, it was week later.
ARM=Arkansas Railroad Museum(in the SSW heavy shop building- where the SSW L1as were built, NOT the baldwins-800-809, homebuilts were810-819)
a little note, 814’s tender is at ARM, so you can say 2and1/3 engines survived;D
Now I know where ye are speaking of. The UP goes right behind there.
The best advice to date has been just to report any trespasser. The person you describe seems to be a harmless nut, but you never know. He may not harm the RR but he may harm himself. When I was on the Police we had a wino who used to take short cuts across Mill Creek yards here in town. One day he took a nap alongside a grain car at the end of some stub end tracks and when the switch crew pulled the cars out they took his feet with them.
A neighbor lady got all over me, saying he used the tracks all the time but nobody ever stopped him. I asked why she never called us about it, and she said it was none of her business.
Pop’s story about the guy with all the fire equipment is a good example. You let the right people know about a situation and it gets resolved. We can’t be everywhere.