Another spill and no RR police response....

LOWELL -- " U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan is demanding a federal investigation after a train car leaked 10 to 15 gallons of a corrosive chemical in South Lowell yesterday morning, the second such incident in four years"....

http://lowellsun.com/front/ci_4493456

Much ado about nothing.

Would have been much, much worse if it had been transported by truck on the highway and the truck was involved in an accident.

I know, they always seem to make a big deal about anything when it involves the RR. Seems they are focusing more on the potential problems with such high volume and how it's left unattended and on that note they do have a point.

I just think it's a little unreasonable to expect the railroad to notify the town every time a train with hazmat is gonna pass through town. If that's really what the town wants, they should apply that rule to trucks as well... I'm sure they'll enjoy having their phone ringing off the hook! They'll have to hire a full time staffer just to answer those calls.

And the RR police were most definitely there.

Really? How'd you come by that knowledge?

There's nothing in the article that suggests the RRPD wasn't there.

Does anybody have firsthand knowledge of this incident? Anything else is just speculation.

Yes I do have knowledge that they did not respond.

1. The Chief was too busy writing BS about himself in the Pan AM Clipper and taking credit for things he never did.

2. The Chief never fought a 60% layoff so even if the RRPD wanted to respond they did not have the manpower.

My thought is, how did anyone in the press know about this if something official wan't announced somehow? They say RR employees discovered it. How did the public find out? And if the press was hovering around the area, I'd think at least ONE policeman would be there, be it state, city, or RR, to keep the peace.

Don't assume no one was there unless you know for a FACT, not for an OPINION...

The RR could have many more RR police added to the department if they really cared about safety (instead of just claiming they do and then layoff 60 % the department).

The Chief could simply apply for Federal cops grants (which they did before and received $250,000 in funding for three added officers their wages paid for three years) under the last COPS grant.

But that was before the terrorist incidents of 9/11, so go figure, seems the old leadership they had there wasn't so bad after all, at least compared to the "Chief "they have there now.

Rockingham Racer wrote:Really? How'd you come by that knowledge?

because I'm a RR employee, I was there, and I spoke to the officer personally.

I find it interesting that you think the Chief wanted to lose the officers. The B&M Railroad Police had their funding cut by Mellon's holding company.

Still doesn't explain why the Chief has not applied for Federal Grants to build the department back up to staff?

that I don't know, although I suspect he was told he could not by the higher ups. Like with a municipal PD, I believe it must be approved first by the selectmen and/or voters. If he was told he can't, then too bad for the department. It really is a shame, though.

peterw wrote:Yes I do have knowledge that they did not respond.

OK, we now have a PAR employee who says the RRPD was indeed there. Care to respond to that?

Yes,I would.

To confirm or deny wether the RRPD was there or not I placed a call to them 800-955-9217.

No one answered the phone and there was no voice mail either.

Oh yeah and this was during peak buisness hours.

So I beleive they must not even exist anymore due to the fact that it is unheard of to not be able to get in touch with a police dept on their primary line during buisness hours in the year 2006.