mook Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ....
> BTW, if you missed the (poorly advertised) Folsom
> Railfair (on the same weekend Ione's used to be),
> you missed a small treat. RT's PG&E streetcar with
> generator trailer, a railbus, and of course
> speeders were running on the old track from Iron
> Point Rd. to White Rock. Definitely interesting
> track condition in spots but it worked OK. Great
> views and a bit more grade than I expected.
> Several displays, a couple of vendors, and Amtrak
> showing off its fancy Charger police car (not
> equipped for hi-rail - why not?) at the
> OpLifesaver booth. A nice Saturday morning bike
> ride destination...

Hi-rail gear adds substantial weight to a vehicle.
It also takes time to get the flanged rail wheels
down or up when transitioning from one mode to the
other. None of the these factors helps when you are
chasing bad guys. And, you're not going to be
chasing bad guys down the track in hi-rail mode --
when they have the option of running away at right
angles to the track.

To operate in hi-rail mode on the tracks, you also
need track authority from the dispatcher.

About the only time a special agent would need hi-rail
access would be to get to accident/incident at an
otherwise inacessible (by road) location. Many years
ago, when I was working as a news service reporter/
photographer, while hiking in to a major dertailment
I was given a lift by a special agent. He simply drove
his non-hi-rail vehicle down the right of way -- something
I would not have done with the vehicle I owned then.

-- Ernest