UP Trainman shot by Robber

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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From UTU Site: www.utu.org

Railroad employee shot in holdup

TEXARKANA, Ark. - A Union Pacific employee is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg after he was shot during an attempted aggravated robbery early Tuesday (Oct. 12), according to the Texarkana Gazette.
The 36-year-old railroad employee, whose name was not released, was checking the brakes on a rail car about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Ninth and Broad streets in Texarkana, Ark., when a man with a gun demanded money from him, said Cpl. Bart Veal, spokesman for the Texarkana, Ark., Police Department.

“He told the man that he did not have any money and heard a gunshot. He soon realized that he had been shot in the left leg,” Veal said.

The victim, who told police he did not know where the suspect went after the shooting, began to crawl to his truck where other employees found him.

He was taken to Wadley Regional Medical Center where he remained in good condition late Tuesday.

The victim was unable to provide police with a detailed description of the suspect, Veal said.

On Tuesday afternoon, detectives were looking for people who might have been in the area at the time.

“They are out interviewing any possible witnesses,” Veal said.

Union Pacific Railroad police will also be investigating the crime, said Mark Davis, a spokesman for Union Pacific.

“Railroad police can investigate and make arrests if needed. Because we are federally mandated to transport goods, some cases, depending on the circumstances, could be a federal offense,” he said.

Davis said random violence against railroad employees does not happen frequently.

“Railroad employees are like family. They (railroad police) will work hard with the local authorities to solve this,” he said.

Anyone who has any information about the crime is asked to call the Texarkana, Ark., Police Department at 903-79

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The robber is a swine and I hope he gets shot in the leg and than he can feel what it’s like. If he wants money, he should work for a living and stop endangering the lives of real human beings who actually want to make an honest living.

People like that should be battered stupid by an angry mob of hard working people.

Sorry for my violent outburst but hearing about jerks like that really p’s me off.

3

Some years back, they had someone taking potshots at the cabs of engines. It never ends, unfortunately. Unbelievable!

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this is a good example of why railroaders should be able to carry side arms…pilots are alowed to carry them now… so why not railroaders for self defence!!!
csx engineer

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Railroaders shouldn’t have to protect themselves or feel the need to for just working a train. I guess this shouldn’t suprise me too much since the world is going to hell in a hand basket.

I hope either Kerry or Bush will invest in some money to protect the railroad workers against thease animals.

Railroaders are just people who work their butts off usually to support a family. You folk have dangerous commodities and often work in dangerous situations just to make a buck or two. You don’t need some jerks shooting you for whatever money you get to take home to your families.

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Truck drivers carry guns also.

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Is this true? Rail lines run through some pretty sketchy areas, and I would guess that employees run into some unsavory characters rather often.

Any thoughts or stories from the professional railroaders?

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Anyone can carry a gun as long as their state permits it and they have the required permit. I imagine the railroad would frown on the pratice though. Hell, 7-11 employees probably have more firepower than most third world countries… everyone has a right to defend themselves.

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It a “blanking shame” (I got another word but can’t use it in the forum) somebody can’t even work on their job without being robbed. Too bad he couldn’t have gotten a description of that A-hole.

Larry

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well… that maybe ture about the right to carry permits…but you are wrong about railroad workers being able to carry firearms… we are not alowed to have or carry firearms or any wepons of any kind on comp. proporty…that means you cant even pull into the parking lot of the yard office with an achory bow in a rackin the back window of your pickup truck becouse you plan on going hunting when your shift is over!!!.. … you can be subject to major disaplanary investigation!!!
csx engineer

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Sorry to hear about this.hope they catch the moron.
stay safe
Joe

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Maybe the railroad should fence up their lines in high-crime areas.

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wont do any good…places that railroads have put up chain link fences to keep tresspassers out…have had holes cut in them… or the people just clime over them… so whats the point…save the money and hope for the best…or spend the money that is just going to be a waste in the end
csx engineer

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CSX Engineer is absolutely correct. I know someone who was disciplined for having a shotgun in his truck parked on the property (hunting gun).

Fences are useless. Many conductors I know have been known to carry an airbrake wrench in bad areas.

LC

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I fear for you guys, what is the answer?

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bullet proof vests maybe??

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Maybe run some voltage through that fence and see how well it works!! And if the RR doesn’t want to allow employees to carry sidearms, then maybe they should equip them with a tazer gun or pepper spray.

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Limited Clear, CSX Engineer

Just my opinion, but::…

I think I know why railroad management doesn’t want crews carrying weapons. As I’ve stated before, I worked 15 years for a transit company. Whenever the time came for the Union and Mangement to negotiate a new Wage contract, feelings of hostility soared on both sides! I was a union rep myself for about 1 1/2 years. On several occasions the tension got hot enough where there was fear that someone might go “Postal” and start pumping bullets so around 1987 management slammed down the hammer about personal weapons. Anyone caught could be terminated and arrested! [:0][B)] Before that the rule had been lightly enforced.

Based on what I’ve read on railroads, the atmosphere seems similar to the one I experienced. It’s sad, but that’s why rather than you guys are not being allowed to protect yourselves and are expected to use your radios and duck for cover. Management doesn’t want to take a chance on Railroad personnel going into “Dirty Harry” mode. Add to that there’s also likely the fear that if a railroader does shoot a bad guy in protecting himself, somehow that “moron” would find a “law twisting lawyer” and sue the railroad.

It is a frustrating situation.

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Hope the robber gets one in the head- “that 'll learn him”

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HA! LOL! its most likely true- Imagine a tank hiding behind the sotre, and comes crashing through when ther’s a hold up!