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Re: WA state says BNSF started fires, sends $460K bill
Author: DAle Jones
Date: 07-19-2008 - 20:25
Trains start fires all the time – from their first invention, whether sparks from coal-fired steam engines or carbon bits from diesels.
It used to be in the “old-days” that the Great Northern and other Western railroads followed each train with a fire-spotter on a Fairmont Speeder for the sole purpose of putting out spark fires. In fact – it used to be that the Department’s of Natural Resources required such fire-spotters in the dry season. Obviously –they don’t today. The RR lawyers probably figure it is cheaper to pay a few fire started damage claims than to pay for all the employee time and equipment to follow each train in critical fire danger.
I know for a fact the BNSF GE’s start carbon fires. On October 31, 1999 – my close friends were visiting from Wolf Point, Montana at our house in Plentywood, MT. An unseasonal wind storm came through with gusts of up to 90mph. Anyway, they got a phone call at our house that their home had just been destroyed by fire. They left immediately and we went down the next day to check it out. In the Wolf Point area there were 30 fires started by ONE train – a westbound with GE’s. The fires varied in size, but numerous homes were destroyed. Of course, BNSF denied having any involvement. Eventually, the home owner’s lawyers got BNSF to admit they were at fault and then the RR lawyers offered everyone a pittance for the value of their losses. The BNSF tried to avoid a class action suit at all costs. They RR lawyers won –they broke down the homeowners and all settled for a “quick-claim”.
The same night a Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western train started dozens of prairie fires that burned one half of the town of Outlook, Montana. I was restoring the old Soo Line depot there – it burned to the ground along with burning up the parked DMV&W locomotives. All were caused by locomotive sparks.
Yes, trains do start fires. Yes, the railroad is at fault, and yes – the railroads will deny it if they think they can get away with. We as railfans must remember that it is lawyers and accountants that REALLY run the railroads and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the profits high.
Talk to ya later,
Dale Jones
www.railroads-of-montana.com
It used to be in the “old-days” that the Great Northern and other Western railroads followed each train with a fire-spotter on a Fairmont Speeder for the sole purpose of putting out spark fires. In fact – it used to be that the Department’s of Natural Resources required such fire-spotters in the dry season. Obviously –they don’t today. The RR lawyers probably figure it is cheaper to pay a few fire started damage claims than to pay for all the employee time and equipment to follow each train in critical fire danger.
I know for a fact the BNSF GE’s start carbon fires. On October 31, 1999 – my close friends were visiting from Wolf Point, Montana at our house in Plentywood, MT. An unseasonal wind storm came through with gusts of up to 90mph. Anyway, they got a phone call at our house that their home had just been destroyed by fire. They left immediately and we went down the next day to check it out. In the Wolf Point area there were 30 fires started by ONE train – a westbound with GE’s. The fires varied in size, but numerous homes were destroyed. Of course, BNSF denied having any involvement. Eventually, the home owner’s lawyers got BNSF to admit they were at fault and then the RR lawyers offered everyone a pittance for the value of their losses. The BNSF tried to avoid a class action suit at all costs. They RR lawyers won –they broke down the homeowners and all settled for a “quick-claim”.
The same night a Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western train started dozens of prairie fires that burned one half of the town of Outlook, Montana. I was restoring the old Soo Line depot there – it burned to the ground along with burning up the parked DMV&W locomotives. All were caused by locomotive sparks.
Yes, trains do start fires. Yes, the railroad is at fault, and yes – the railroads will deny it if they think they can get away with. We as railfans must remember that it is lawyers and accountants that REALLY run the railroads and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the profits high.
Talk to ya later,
Dale Jones
www.railroads-of-montana.com
