(The Associated Press circulated the following stor on June 22.)
FAIRFIELD, Neb. — Railroad officials have asked that part of a county road that passes over railroad tracks be closed because people have been throwing junk off the bridge and onto the tracks.
Vandals have thrown tires, bags of trash and appliances, including stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway officials said.
“In some cases, they have dropped items in front of and onto trains,” William Thomson, a railroad spokesman, wrote in a letter to the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors. “Obviously, we are concerned for the safety of our train crews and the products we haul.”
“Increased patrol is theoretically a possibility, but it’s not a practical possibility considering the level of manpower we have right now,” said Sgt. Randy Lewis.