After extensive testing on the Santa Rosa-Tiburon Corridor of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, the Bored of Directors of a Yolo County based Railroad has voted to lease two of the specially modified Pratt & Whitney PT6-A Gas Turbine powered Budd RDC cars for trial service between Woodland and downtown Sacramento.  As a result of the testing on the NWP, several modifications have been made to the cars in order to minimize the damage caused from striking wayward BMW's, Porsches, Jeep Wagoneers, etc. at the high speeds (120+ MPH) at which these cars operate over grade crossings. It is of great interest to the railroad to see if the modifications will be effective against the tomato trucks and farm tractors that are prone to occupy grade crossings at the wrong time, which, in the railroads opinion, are a greater threat to safe railway operation in Yolo County than the smaller and lighter yuppiemobiles found in Sonoma and Marin Counties

Gas Turbine powered  Budd Cars

    The modifications to the cars include 1 1/2 inch armor plate on the car ends as well as plow pilots made of the same material, beefed up collision posts, twin 20 mm cannon, firing a mixture of HE and depleted uranium armor piercing shells,  mounted just above the plow pilots, that may be actuated by the Engineer.  The purpose of the cannons is to remove objects  from the track before they become debris that may derail the cars.  Other modifications include special Schmierer modified Nathan M5 air horns, double sheets of FRA Part 223 glass in the end windows, and a special paint scheme, designed to intimidate any wayward driver or trespasser into getting OFF THE TRACK! upon the approach of the car.  An option of installing "Tank buster" type Gatling guns, such as installed on the very successful A-10 Attack aircraft, in place of the 20 mm cannon, will be held in reserve, pending the outcome of the road tests.

    For the Yolo County tests, it was decided to retain the full service bar at one end of the car, as it was shown to greatly enhance revenues, especially on the afternoon commute runs.  It is being debated as to whether or not to retain the "Engineers Eye" video system.  Sentiment is in favor of retaining the system, as it provides a great deal of entertainment for the passengers, who, in previous tests, seemed to enjoy watching yuppiemobiles being splattered to kingdom come at grade crossings. This was determined by the immediate increase in liquor sales at the bar after each grade crossing incident.  Sales of  tapes from the video system to "Real TV", "America's Funniest Home Videos" and other commercial enterprises also enhances the revenue derived from these cars.  Negotiations with Operation Life Saver are underway as well, with the idea of supplying them with a more than adequate source of training tapes.

   There were, of course, political objections raised over the operation of these cars, especially after some local residents who don't seem to believe in the "Darwin Effect", viewed video tapes from the aforementioned video system and interviewed some of the survivors of perpetrators of some grade crossing crashes in Sonoma and Marin Counties.  At a heated meeting of the Yolo County Transit District, objections were raised to the operation of the cars, which was perceived as being unfair competition to the slow, rough riding buses that YCTD favors.  When confronted  with these objections, Bosco Hearn, spokesman for the railroad told the district board, "Look, Turkeys, it's OUR railroad and we'll run any damned thing on it we want to!"  Mr. Hearn also pointed out that the railroad expects that the comfort and convenience of the commuters, who are mostly state workers who reside in Woodland, would overcome any petty political objections to the operation of these cars.  "After all, he said, Woodland to Sacramento in 15 minutes flat, including a no-host bar, free nachos and entertainment is a tough act to follow with a bus."

    Negotiations are now underway with the City of Sacramento, the State of California and other entities to replace the former Sacramento Northern trackage over the Tower Bridge and down the Capitol Mall to the California State Capitol..  The main objections to this was raised by the State of California.  They are understandably nervous over the prospect of armored, 20 mm cannon equipped railcars bearing down on the State Capitol.  The former Governor, understandably nervous, considering his record of treatment of the average working man in California was, frankly, alarmed. His concern is that the man with his "finger on the gun button" may be one of the people his policies have abused in the past.  Since his office was in the Capitol, the Governor's concerns may be justified.

    Addressing these concerns, the railroad is currently studying methods of automatically disabling the cannons while the cars are traversing the Tower Bridge or the Capitol Mall trackage in Sacramento or possibly, removing the cannons altogether.  They don't wish to remove them however, due to the necessity of having them available to remove errant tomato trucks, etc. from grade crossings.  With the election of a much more "Labor Friendly" Governor, the question may be moot, as all of the labor unions, etc. agree that the new Governor is NOT to be messed with and therefore probably will be safe from any errant gunfire from this source.

   A related project under negotiation, should the Tower Bridge trackage option be exercised, is a track connection from the Capitol Mall trackage to the Sacramento Southern Railroad belonging to the California State Railroad Museum.  CSRM is most anxious to obtain a physical connection to the outside world after the Union Pacific Railroad, in a fit of pique, removed their track diamond at the east end of the I Street Bridge thereby cutting off their rail access to the outside world.  Talks are currently stalled because CSRM is insisting that the Union Pacific Railroad or someone else, pay for their track connection and associated signal systems.  CSRM is also insisting on running excursion trains in Yolo County with their volunteer crews, once the track connection is completed.  Said railroad spokesman Bosco Hearn when asked about this said  "When @$#&!* pigs fly"  When CSRM threatened legal action to stall or preclude the re-installation of the necessary diamond at the east end of the Tower Bridge, Mr. Hearn responded, "Our track gangs can work nights and weekends, too!  Try and get an injunction late at night or on a weekend!"
    Thid game turned into "Hardball" after CSRM held a certain locomotive hostage, refusing to return it to it's rightful owners.  Agents of the rightful owners of said locomotive arranged for a group of gentlemen from Stockton, CA, who ride American Made motorcyles to pay CSRM management a visit,  after which the locomotive was released to the Yolo County based shortline.

    If the in-service tests are successful, the Budd Company intends to enter into negotiations with the the Union Pacific and California Northern Railroads to sell or lease them the necessary number of cars to commence service between Sacramento and Davis. And, dare we say it, between Sacramento and the Bay Area, thereby checkmating the aspirations of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) to operate a similar, much more expensive but inferior, service between the same points.

    Both railroads, as well as the YCTD, FHWA, TSI, FTA, FAA, CPUC,  SCRTD, BART, CARB, CHP, UTU, ATU, BLE, STB, ICC, NTSB, FRA, and ECV, as well as other entities, are planning to send observers when the testing of the cars begins.  As a result of intense interest by these agencies, additional equipment may have to be added for increased capacity during the in-service tests.

    J. R. Ley
    Woodland, CA
    July, 1998
    Copyright 1998 J. R. Ley