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Vandals Try To Derail Cape Cod Railroad Train With Concrete Blocks On Tracks

BOURNE (CBS) – Someone tried to derail a Cape Cod Central Railroad train Thursday morning, according to Massachusetts State Police.

They said a vandal pushed five large concrete blocks on the tracks in Bourne overnight hoping to damage an oncoming train. Police said the train was going slow enough when the operator saw the blocks just before 9 a.m. and was able to stop in time. No one was hurt. Some of the blocks weigh about 200 pounds, police said.

"If he hadn't seen it and we were going along a little faster, it was on a switch, it definitely could have caused a problem," said Chris Podgurski of Cape Rail.

The railroad is the way most of the garbage is removed from Cape Cod, but it's not just a the trash train using the tracks. The same company operates a dinner train and a Christmas village train, as part of the Cape Cod Canal holiday celebration.

"This is something that contributes to the economic development of the community," said Marie Oliva of the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce.

State transportation officials told WBZ-TV the concrete was used to secure a tent that was part of the holiday event. Surveillance video shows the person rolling the massive pieces of concrete to the tracks.

Anyone with information is asked to call State Police.

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