We initally set up to defend the loco with the deck gun and 2.5 handline if they couldn’t get it unhooked. After we had confirmation of the cars being secured and empty and the loco had moved we went after them with 1.75 handlines. The front box car had an open door the second car we had to cut the lock off with a rotary saw equipped with a metal cutting blade. Our three foot bolt cutters couldnt get through the railroad lock…
On over haul there were only remnants of scrap wood in the car, most likely pallets. The first car was destroyed the second would only need new paint and the interior walls replaced. It’s amazing how much plywood sheeting is on the walls of a boxcar adding to the fire load.
Apparantly the caboose was broken into and the fusees taken from it to set the cars on fire. Thankfully, they didn’t set fire to the cars full of styrene right beside the caboose.
For you fire guys; we’re only a 3 man company that covers 27 square miles. We run a class A pumper 1500 gpm with 700 gallons. We have 10 miles of shore line on international waters, which has one of the largest coal/ore docks on the great lakes. We have three railroads the Bessemer (CN), Norfolk and Southern & CSX. We have 7 miles of intersate freeway. We have heavy to light industry including a chemical plant and surrounding it all we have urban apartment buildings all the way to rural farmland. Most of our city’s houses date to the early 1900’s. On top of all that we are also paramedics and with our ambulance provide EMS to our 12000 residents.
Terry
