Wyandotte

[hoborich]

Was down at Wyandotte friday night. Not much action.
An NS train came through northbound using the symbol of 288,with two UP locos and three loaded auto racks. What is this train, and why would they run it with only three loads of autos?

Another interesting thing occured. Around midnight, two coyotes came trotting up the right of way, and crossed Oak street. I flipped on the headlights when they were right in front of me. They appeared not to notice and trotted maybe fifty feet farther then stopped and messed around right near me and my friend. Then they casually trotted back across Oak st going south, and stopped on the tracks, about fifty feet from the street, and just watched my friend and I for at least 15 minutes. A CN freight approached from the south on the Shoreline, and when he whistled for Pennsylvania Ave, the coyotes immediately responded with their high pitched bark or howl. At first I thought it was just a coincidence. But when the train blew the horn again, the coyotes responded again. When the train got up to Oak street, he blew the horn again, and the coyotes responded every time the train blew the horn, just like a dog when someone plays a harmonica. It was kind of eerie and cool at the same time. I've seen coyotes several times before at Oak street, but I've never heard them howl at the train horns. They didn't bother anyone, but they also didn't seem to show any fear of us. Last summer, there was a couple down there, watching us from the weeds for a while. They are certainly interesting critters.

[chapmaja]

My two beagles are like that, but it is with emergency sirens. When a fire truck, police car or other emergency vehicle is in the area with the siren on my two dogs will howl at the siren. I think it is funny as heck to listen to them.

[azimmer]

If they should ever exhibit too much lack of fear, it could be an indication of rabies. Wild animals generally avoid human presence, but if they are infected they will show little caution. These coyotes have probably become accustomed to human beings being always near them, but it's always good to be aware of the rabid condition.

[hoborich]

Yeah, the rabies thing is always in the back of my mind.
Coyotes are kinda cool. But a pair did kill a canadian woman last year in a provincial park. One is no threat. But two or more are much bolder.
Coyotes seem to go out of their way not to show fear. I see a lot of them up north in the woods. I had one sit in the middle of a two track and stare me down as I approached. When I got close he just casually got up and melted into the underbrush. Another time I saw one sniffing around an old campfire. It pretended not to notice me as I walked toward it. Then it turned and just walked away as I got close. There's no way it didn't notice me coming.
I was researching coyotes on the internet, and it said they use railroad right of ways as corridors through urban areas, because of the cover they provide.

[azimmer]

I was researching coyotes on the internet, and it said they use railroad right of ways as corridors through urban areas, because of the cover they provide.

It's not just coyotes. Everyone -- both animal and human -- uses the railroad ROW because, aside from a few park areas, it is the only cover in a congested urban area. Detroit's railroads have achieved a kind of fame because the serial killer John Eric Armstrong used the cover of the ROW near Livernois yard as a dumping ground for his victims.

As a child I regularly used the railroad ROW as a playground, but the situation has changed drastically in recent years. Trespassing, which used to be completely ignored by most RR personnel, is now heavily enforced. Even using the tracks as convenient shortcut can get a person into serious trouble..

Today, only the coyotes get to have the fun.