Recently whicle train watching in the Tehachapi’s a steer almost got flattened by a pig train. I imagine the animals in the surrounding area have gotten immune or habituated to the nosie and comings and goings of the trains.Anyhow one of his buddies wasn’t so lucky and got whacked by another train further up the line. Question: with the price of beef being what it is, and steers not growing on trees, who pays for the loss of that animal, the railroad or does the farmer/ rancher absorb it? (OUCH) The Engineer on the pig train really stood on his horn so I know he wasn’t trying to hit the animal.
I asked the MOW worker and he said that Uncle Pete has to pay for it since they are responsible for the mainline in that area. He didn’t sound too happy when he told me he had to perform the clean-up of the road kill. Your thoughts?
Claim agent buys the cow (with brand inspector’s help) unless the railroad can cite negligence. (gates left open, Bessie tethered to the rail (happens), rancher cuts fence to graze cattle on the wrong side (happens), cow comes from property away from R/W and wanders down public road where it gets hit, and so on…)
Heh, Sounds like Railroads have it better then motorists here in Wyoming! If you hit a cow, you have to pay for the cow and every calf that cow may have had in the future!
