*"BNSF recognizes there are many railroad enthusiasts throughout the system who can be helpful in reporting security violations and suspicious activities. Next year, BNSF will launch a new program similar to the internal BNSF ON GUARD program to gain rail fan support as another layer in rail transportation security. More details of the program will be released in the future. In the meantime, anyone who notices anything suspicious should call the Resource Operations Call Center at 1-800-832-5452. However, do not take action on your own if you spot a possible problem – call 1-800-832-5452. For more information about the ON GUARD program, go to the Resource Protection intranet site and click Protection Solutions." http://www.bnsf.com/employees/communications/bnsf_today/2005/12/2005-12-27-e.html Best regards, Swafford
Hmmmm... Hope it's true. In the recent past, I have read some things that seem a bit contrary to this..... Boxcab E50
Hopefully it doesn't turn into a mess... But it does seem the folks at Lou Menk drive are being enlightened to the thousands of extra eyes keeping tabs on the property, rather than just hoping the employees of the RR catch the crime... Are railfans going to be calling in other railfans?
Allot of it is common sense. When railfanning a just dont be where you are not supposed to be and you more than likely will not get called on. Of course in the past I have found myself in places I shouldnt be. I am more careful about where I go these days post 9/11. I think what they would expect is for someone to call if there is something obvious going on.
A sensible move given there are more railfans out there than railroad security employees. Mind, this is from the same RR company that employed some of the most extreme rent-a-cops ever. A good example was the derailment some years back (pre-BNSF) at Hoffman Ave, Minneapolis which placed a coal train places it wasn't to be. Plenty of onlookers arrived and the 'security' went to town on people on public property. And these were the very same clowns who arrested the CP yardmaster in the same place, another time, when he had gone down to check on one of his own trains. A couple hours later he was released from downtown St Paul after they had received several calls reporting the yardmaster missing and they finally believed who he was (which the 'security' didn't). Hopefully their security personnel and contractors will be suitably advised of the new arrangements. BTW, I heard UP were covertly relying on railfan reports to identify where they had parked trains, through loco sightings, during the post-SP merger meltdown.
Railfans SHOULD be reporting other railfans if they observe other railfans "collecting" ie. stealing railroad property.
Of course observed thievery should be reported.... However- It was just in the past few weeks, someone posted a message and link, about a BNSF employee being rewarded. For turning in a railfan who was chasing his train. Now they reverse course? Seems as though that company can't make up it's mind what to do. Boxcab E50
What was the 'railfan' doing in the chase? Driving recklessly, driving on a ROW road, driving at a high rate of speed on said road?
