News Crews Scramble from Train Tracks
We had a moment of levity while covering the polygamist raid.
done
All the media is camped out in a parking lot across from Ft. Concho where the children from the compound are staying. To get a sense of the layout, there’s the parking lot, train tracks, and an area where reporters were doing live shots. The photographers asked around and had been assured there wasn’t a train coming though for days.
There were at least a dozen sets of cables across the tracks. Murphy’s law being what it is, after a few hours of live shots, what do we hear? Sure enough, a train was coming. Photographers everywhere scrambled out onto the tracks to pull the cable out of the path of the train. Our photographer caught the tail end of it on tape.
Note to bosses: Our expensive cables were never in danger since we were across the street doing a live shot using wireless gear.
Maggie Kerkman is a field producer in FNC’s Southwest Bureau. Based in
Dallas, she has been on a variety of stories, covering everything from
shuttle launches, to illegal immigration, to destructive hurricanes. 
Wow! I sure am glad you poor reporters got a laugh while those abused women and children were being evacuated and interogated.
I was worried there for a minute that the stress might get to you guys, but now, since you’ve had this “moment of levity” you can get back into the trenches and report on this sad, sad situation for us.
I’m sorry, that was out of line, I’m an idiot. Thank you for sharing things that happen.
Never forget, train tracks are private property, no matter how overgrown or decrepit they look; as this shows, trains can appear relatively unannounced. Bottom line: don’t stretch ANYTHING across the tracks, and always assume there is going to be a train coming.
Funny story!! Love hearing the behind-the-scenes stuff!
UUMMMM no, the second comment was made by someone who highjacked my name. My original comment stands. I see this blog has the same problems as Greta Van Susteren’s with people who disagree stealing the screen names of others. Fox, please make people register their names on Word Press.