(The following story by Barney Lerten appeared at KTVZ.com on August 13.)
BEND, Ore. — Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway officials posted a $5,000 reward Monday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever placed debris on railroad tracks in La Pine last Friday, shortly before a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals was due through the area.
The railroad asked anyone with information to call the BNSF Railway Police Crime Tip Hotline at 1-800-832-5452. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still collect the reward, officials said.
Deschutes County Sheriff Larry Blanton said there was no new information to reveal yet Monday about the incident that occurred Friday afternoon near the Finley Butte Road railroad crossing.
Debris left on or near railroad tracks in an apparently intentional attempt to derail a train prompted the FBI and railroad officials to join a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office investigation Friday afternoon.
Around 1 p.m., the crew of a pilot car preceding a northbound BNSF freight train “found some obvious irregularities that may have in fact caused a train derailment” along the tracks in the area of Finley Butte Road, Blanton told KTVZ.COM.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas in Seattle said the pilot car crew “discovered debris on the trackage and the line was shut down until action was taken.”
Blanton later said the railroad had found “something on or near the tracks that was an apparent attempt to cause damage to the track rail itself, which dould have potentially caused a train derailment. However, no train derailment occurred.”
The sheriff said investigators were not sure if the “suspicious activity” and “possible criminal mischief was targeting a specific train. But the scout car crew that spotted the problem was running ahead of an 81-car northbound freight train heading from Klamath Falls to Bend that included seven cars carrying hazardous anhydrous ammonia, Blanton said.
The sheriff said the railroad “did everything right” in having a scout car that goes ahead to check the condition of the tracks.
“Burlington Northern did an excellent job in finding the issue, or potential issue ahead of time, and we’re thankful for that,” Blanton said.
The train continued northbound and was stopped in the Vandevert Road area as the investigation was under way, Blanton said.
Melonas said the rail line “was shot down minimally,” with “no impact on rail traffic.” He also noted that “trespassing on BNSF property is illegal,” and trespassers are cited.
There was no damage to the track, no injuries and no evacuation was needed, officials said.