An unattended train left alone near Spokane has the attention of the Transportation Security Administration. It’s just one of several trains a Seattle-area TV station found left running and without a crew during a recent investigation throughout the state. With their camera rolling, the KOMO TV crew was able to hop on board and remain in the lead locomotive unchallenged by train security.
The KOMO news team also found a train sitting in the dark thirty miles north of Spokane running with the key left in the cab of the locomotive.
So why the concern?. Anyone could throttle up a locomotive and take a train on a joy ride. A local TV station, KXLY, did this report on the situation.
Several years ago I was at my daughter's soccer practice at Trent Elementary School – the corner of Trent & Pines in the valley – which is adjacent to a railroad. A train came by very slowly then stopped. The driver got out and ran across Trent to a nearby restaurant. He came back about 10 minutes later with a sack and a cup. I remember being astonished at the time that a train would stop so the driver could get out and grab a bite to eat. It take a heck of a lot of fuel to get those trains rolling from a dead stop!
What??? That's crazy! I would have thought there would be policies against that kind of thing. While everyone has to eat, it seems like you'd either bring your lunch or plan to eat when you stop.