Myths about Union Pacific copper theft with pics
I am just going to shed some light on the thread about the 5.5 million dollar copper theft from the UNION PACIFIC. I am guessing they were sitting at the pine bluff locomotive shop in storage. I took some pictures on friday at work of the same style locomotive and how we strip them of there wire. Its still amazing to me that three guys pulled this off and stripped 22 of them without getting caught. Something in my mind seems to point toward this being an inside job. Rail property is guarded like any federal reserve building. The rail cops just drive around the property looking for someone doing something illegal or questionable. I still want to know how they got the copper off the property? Here are the pictures. Sorry they are links but they are worth taking a look at.
Here is what the pile of wire looks like that is pulled off the body of the locomotive approx 1200 to 1500 lb of number two tin plated wire 80 percent copper recovery if stripped. That is just off the body of it not of the engine compartment or locomotive electrical box or some of the wire running to the six traction motors.
http://statigr.am/p/379076358645073286_279399720
Here is the body turned on its side. There is copper on both side of the locomotive body and both sides have an airtank approx 20 foot long that covers up the wire on both sides. There are wire ties every 2 foot connecting it to the body with two bolts and multiple pieces of plastic formed to the wires to help hold it in place. Notice the air tank on the ground in the picture and the wire is falling off right below the grapple. You can see the wire ties to on the wire.
http://statigr.am/p/394875111956137132_279399720
Here are two more pictures of the body on the ground. The second picture is us pulling the wire off with the grapple. We normally have to grab the wire twist it and give it a few tugs with the 345 cat for it to break loose. its a real pain in the butt to remove.
http://statigr.am/p/407279466789324285_279399720
http://statigr.am/p/407279569012901375_279399720
I made this thread because I wanted everyone to see what these knuckle heads went through. It would take us two months to scrap 22 locomotives and that is with all the tools to do it and the know how to get it done. I couldn't imagine using wire cutters and removing every bolt to steal the wire. This theft is just mind boggling. These locomotives are probably now scrap metal. Its probably not worth repairing these old almost retired locos. CRAZY.
