West Chester Railroad feels disheartened after last weekend's vandalism
WEST CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) -- Truly disheartening. That's how a number of volunteers are feeling after a group of teens trashed a rail car and a truck at a popular place for families and train enthusiasts in West Chester.
Cleanup continues at the railyard.
Skip Small, the vice president of the West Chester Railroad Heritage Association – an all-volunteer organization that runs the tourist railroad between West Chester and Glen Mills, says he's seen vandalism happen here before.
But what happened over the weekend is truly disheartening.
"They really hit it hard on the backside," Small said.
West Chester police say Friday night a group of teens broke into the rail yard, smashed windows of a locomotive, coach and a truck used for repairs.
The railroad shared stills from their surveillance cameras. It only took 15 minutes, Small says, for all of this damage to happen.
"I just want to get the locomotive in one piece so I can get it to a new owner, so it can continue a life," Small said.
It's not cheap or easy to fix. West Chester railroad says repairs could exceed $10,000.
"We're responsible for all of our own locomotive maintenance, track maintenance," Tyler Haney said. "The windows that were broken on the locomotive and passenger car, they require special federally mandated safety glazing."
Since West Chester Railroad posted the news to their Facebook page, they say the community has helped raise some $1,500 for repairs, adding people have also reached out with tips.
As for the group who is responsible for the damage, West Chester Railroad has this to say:
"The equipment that you broke it's owned and cared for by people in your community and in this area who run this railroad out of a labor of love," Haney said.
West Chester Police say no arrests have been made so far and are asking those involved to come forward.
