Feb 12, 2009 5:04 pm US/Pacific
Acampo Residents Upset Over Railroad Storage Plans
ACAMPO (CBS13) ―
There will be 500 railroad cars that will soon be lining up right in front of the homes in a Valley neighborhood. Union Pacific says that the tracks are being used as storage. CBS13 went to Acampo to speak with homeowners who are very concerned about their property.
Hundreds of empty railroad cars are expected to be parked along a five mile stretch of railroad, which will potentially block several ranch homes.
"Someone could come and steal from us and we wouldn't know," said Judy Stagno.
Judy purchased her rural Acampo home ten years ago, and the railroad tracks were her biggest concern.
"I was told it hadn't been used in years and would probably never be used," she told CBS13.
A Union Pacific spokeswoman, who wouldn't go on our CBS13 cameras, says even though the tracks haven't been used, they're not abandoned.
And now that the tracks will be used for storage, neighbors can be fined for building driveways without the railroads permission.
The transportation heavy hitter plans on renting the railroad in order to store empty lumber cars. The company is blaming the economy for the reason they're storing 50,000 cars nationwide, until business picks up once again.
Neighbors like Glenn Greene are concerned the unwanted cargo will stay in front of his front yard.
"Have this 24/7 for how many years for this temporary storage, we worry about our property," he explains.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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