Since most RR's use one form or another of switch heater you can expect to see
propane tanks along the tracks at these locations. One such tank is situated
right at the Colorado / New Mexico boarder at a siding called Branson (CO.).
Several years ago some cowboy must have been "feelin' his oats" and stopped on
the County road right next to the tracks. Since it's quite common to carry
rifles in pickup trucks this feller decided he needed some practice shootin'
things. The "thing" he chose as his target was the propane tank which, by the
way, was a mere 65 feet from the road. BULLS EYE!!! He put a slug dead center
through the freshly filled tank. Lucky for him is WAS freshly filled or we'd
have found his toasty remains somewhere in the vicinity of the blast.
As it turned out all we found was a neat .308" hole at the center of an 8 inch
thick coating of ice on the tank where the gas had escaped.
Just a reminder, shoot PAPER targets, they don't shoot back.
Karl
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