On wrong track: Stampede may have sent cattle into path of train The Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle - December 19 2002 MANHATTAN, MT -- The more than 50 cattle killed by a freight train this week were probably frightened by an animal and then took off in a panicky stampede, state livestock officials said Wednesday. The cows, owned by rancher Rod Cline, broke down a fence and got out of their corral sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning. A Montana Department of Livestock investigator checked out the scene Tuesday and found the corral was badly beat up. "You could tell that the cattle were spooked by something," Montana Department of Livestock spokeswoman Karen Cooper said. The cattle then traveled two miles north on Heeb Road, under Interstate 90 to the railroad tracks and then west down the tracks. A Montana Rail Link train came through at about 3:20 a.m. and struck 60 of the red and black Angus heifers. Fifty-three died, but veterinarians were able to save seven injured heifers. Cline said Wednesday that the cattle had plenty of hay and couldn't have been searching for food. He suspects either dogs or possibly a mountain lion scared the cattle. "We've been hearing of mountain lion sightings in the area lately," he said. "But we may not ever know what may have gotten into them." But something scared them. The walls of the corral were thorougly beat up and the cattle tore through a fence anchored with 8-foot posts, Cline said. "You could see all over where the cattle were running," Cline said. "They just literally ripped the posts right out of the ground and went right on through it." Not all of the cows died right away. Gallatin County sheriff's deputies had to kill several animals that were still alive when they arrived, said MRL track worker George Hedglin, who arrived 20 minutes after the collision. The cleanup was gruesome. MRL workers had the grim task Wednesday of removing the carcasses. Crews brought two boom trucks along the tracks to hoist the carcasses -- some of which were dismembered -- from the marshy area below the railroad bed. Entrails and manure were scattered more than a quarter mile down the tracks. Crew members agreed cleaning up the cattle was the most gruesome job they've ever had. "We get a cow here, a horse there, maybe a deer every once in awhile, but nothing like this," John Hart said. The carcasses were loaded onto a dump truck and taken to Cline's property for burial. He said the cattle were too torn up to salvage any of the meat. Cline estimates the 53 cattle that died were worth $25,000 and said he didn't carry insurance on them. "Basically we're sitting with it out of our pockets," he said.
I read some time back that they were transplanting endangered wolves in the Yellowstone area. It's been 15 or 20 years now, and I'll bet populations couls have grown with packs moving towards Bozeman.
Dear Mister Trains, please forgive my intrusion but I am noticing more and more that your letters are containing mentions of death and mutilation. To me there is a very fine divide between reporting these bloody incidents from around the world and becoming unhealthily obsessed. This is only just my opinion.
Unfortunately, they are spreading out. In the last couple of years, causing some expensive problems. That of course those experts had all said would not occur... As yet none shown up in my area! Just those BIG bears... Boxcab E50
Kahlif, you don't have to worry about me, because I'm an upbeat person. I just happen to be posting some of the more unusual accidents that occured lately. Many of our TB members are real railroaders and have often posted about their own experiences too. And those posts can often describe some gruesome events. Of course we don't make it a habit to post death and destruction, but it seems to me that this is going to be a record year for loss of ife by train. The real problem is that there are way too many accidents happening lately. People have been driving around gates, committing suicide by train, etc. The general public from ages 8 to 80 should be taught about railroad safety. If reading these posts, and passing it along to someone else who might think twice about doing something foolish........well then maybe we've helped save a life. And it never hurts to stir the senses of the general public and railroaders too. Trains are wonderful machines, but they are dangerous too. We ALL have to be careful around them. We have to be aware of what's going on around us at all times. And this incident is most unusual. As the man said, there's often a deer, or cow or any other type of animal that unfortunately wanders in front of a moving train, but this was really wierd. When can anyone remember an accident like this in their lifetime? It was most unfortunate that none of the animals could be butcherd and given to the needy. I hate seeing animals hurt in any way. I also feel really bad for the crew of the train. Not to leave the farmer out either. I have met the nicest people here in TB and we are really a family. I have had the pleasure of meeting 7 or 8 members in person. You will grow more and more fond of the folks here as time passes, and you will see that we take our love of trains seriously, but not always one another! LOL! Thanks for the concern. I'll try to be more upbeat. By the way, no need to be so formal. Just call me, JOHNNY. Or JT. Or JOHNNY T. or JOHNNY TRAINS. Or BIG JOHN. Or JOHN BOY. Or JOHN JOHN. Or LITTLE JOHN. Or JOHNNY BOY.Or just JOHN.
However, he would probably prefer that you did not call him "Johnny-On-The-Spot". That is the name of a large portable toilet company.
Thank you Mister Johnny your explanation has made me feel much more comfortable with your disposition. I am now thinking that you are providing a valuable service to those who are not so aware of the ways you can be killed on railroads. Thank you again.
Mr. Trains, Any mention what happened to the tank car of A-1 Steak Sauce that was in the consist? <center> </center> Russ
Man, those cleanup guys tapped that sucker. You could smell BBQ for miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HMMMMMMM! HMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Finger lickin' good! Now let's all sing along as a TB group: OH, WE AIN'T GOT A BARREL OF MONEY........ MAYBE WE'RE RAGGED AND FUNNY......... BUT WE'RE TRAVELIN' ALONG......... SINGIN' A SONG............ SIDE BY SIDE............. Pass that beef there, boy! By doggie that's some tasty BBQ! Put them horns on the front of the engine! All hundred and six of 'em!
Hello Mister Johnny and Mister Russ. After what I think you would call in comical circles your little double act I am thinking that you have been misleading me. The joking about the poor unfortunate cattles is hardly the language of a person who is concerned about the welfare of animals. In the country where many of my family were originated the cow is considered sacred. In one of my college books it says “In India the cow is a sacred animal embodying motherly qualities of nourishment and gentleness. Hinduism embraces the cow wholeheartedly. However, the western cow is a symbol of our lust for power. We are fairly indifferent to it, unable to see its worth beyond its involuntary demise to supermarket beef and sanitised milk” I am now beginning to understand the ways of NewYork people.
One tends to have a morbid sense of humor living in New York. No disrespect was intended. Of course we are not happy to see anyone or anything hurt, but living in a place like this one tends to use humor to overcome sadness that can linger way too long inside one's self. I've seen plenty of gruesome things. Can't dwell on all of them. By the way, you would surely find that everyone here in New York City can make fun of themselves as well as having fun with others too. It's just part of the New York culture. Believe me, it makes one more light hearted and fun to be with. The serious types stay to themselves. This is a rough town and one must learn to live with it. By the way, I know Russ and we've had some great railroading times together. You would find neither one of us has a mean streak in us. Maybe just a wierd sense of humor.
I personally love cows. I can't help it if they taste so good on a bun though. The only thing that I am not going to agree on though, is the cow being representative of America's powerlust. We Americans just simply love to eat! To each their own, is my motto. Some folk eat animals and other critters that would be offensive to me but hey, I don't hold that against them. One thing that you will find in NY though, is a blending of cultures that have produced new tastes and cuisines unequaled to any other place in the world (Well maybe except France- they do wonders with garden snails ) Anyway, I can't vouch for my friend but I do have a bit of a morbid sense of humor. I can't appologize for that. I hope that you understand. Russ
I've read depictions of what happens when a large animal is hit by a train, with the resulting mess. I can't even imagine the massive amount of cow parts scattered from hither to yon- I could almost give up eating meat after dealing with that mess (almost, that is)
Bob, I suspect that you wouldn't though being that you come from the state with the largest per capita cow (err steer) ratio. And them Texas sized steaks.....yummmmmm....Steaks (Homer impression) The only thing close to a real cow that us city folk see are those fancy art "cows of the world" sculptures. Oh yes, and the big bull by Wall Street. Come to think of it, there is a lot of bull on Wall street lately!!!! Russ BTW- I am not wholey convinced that my McDonalds burger is actually beef so that does not count!! (tastes good though)
The same thing happens to a cow, horse, deer or human when hit by a train at speed, or even when going slowly, if the body remains on the rails. When 200 tons roll slowly over live bone, the bone crushes into powdery mush that mingles with any flesh and blood that may be present. I have some photos that can easily proove this to be a sad fact! (No I won't post them for you gory souls to drool over, it would make the other members run off screaming into the dark of night puking their insides all over the countryside which would call the Haz-Mat people down on me.) Just remember the next time you decide to "beat the train" to a crossing that even human hair gets crushed into goo when run over by the wheel of an engine, and that hair is only .002" in diameter! Any part of you in the path of that wheel will fair no better. Niether will your baby laying in her safety seat beside you! Her death would not be her fault, nor the engineer, nor your mother's, but you will know the last few seconds of your life that you alone caused her to die mangled by a train.
