San Jose homeless camps spark safety issues for railroad workers

Homeless residents living along train tracks pose an unsafe and dangerous problem for railroad workers across California cities, including San Jose.

Recent videos shared by a San Jose-based railroad enthusiast show workers and riders passing by homeless camps close to the tracks — giving a glimpse into some of the most egregious encampment sites. While railroad officials work to clear the camps and trash that pose safety problems and hostile situations for workers, homeless advocates say sweeps in other parts of the city lead people to seek refuge along the tracks.

In one video shared last month, a California Northern Railroad worker wearing green reflective clothing is seen kicking tents obstructing a train’s path while traveling through a homeless camp.

California Northern Railroad spokesperson Tom Ciuba said homeless encampments, loitering and dumping not only prevent the company from effectively serving area businesses, but it can become dangerous for railroad workers and riders if they have to confront people or objects blocking the tracks.

“Since freight trains can come from any direction at any time of the day, (they) can require significant distance to come to a full stop,” Ciuba told San José Spotlight. “Railroads will sometimes partner with cities or municipal organizations/contractors to clear encampments that might have built up — as railroad employees and managers are not experts on how to do so safely and properly.”

Local law enforcement will assist as needed during encampment sweeps, Ciuba added.

A San Jose Police Department spokesperson said, depending on the jurisdiction, police will normally accompany workers when they conduct encampment cleanups.

An increase in homeless encampments encroaching on railroad tracks in San Jose created tension between city officials and Union Pacific Railroad, the state’s largest railroad company, over how much responsibility Union Pacific has in keeping homeless camps clear of the tracks. The two parties eventually agreed to eight coordinated encampment and trash cleanups around Union Pacific Railroad tracks per year, with city employees reaching out to homeless residents to connect them with potential services.

Union Pacific Railroad spokesperson Meg Siffring said the company is continuing to work with local officials on encampment cleanups and strategies to address trash and people living near the tracks.

“Homelessness is a challenging issue and a growing social problem that state and local governments are struggling to get their arms around,” she told San José Spotlight. “Despite efforts to keep our tracks clear and safe, illegal camping is happening on Union Pacific property, putting lives at risk and resulting in some individuals treating our property as a dump site.”

Todd Langton, a homeless advocate and founder of nonprofit Agape Silicon Valley, said unhoused people are living along the train tracks because they are being pushed out from elsewhere. Valley Water has banned homeless residents from camping along the 333 miles of waterways the agency oversees, and San Jose has enacted no encampment zones near schools and public trails. Langton said he expects sweeps of camps along train tracks to increase as well.

“They’re going where they will face the path of least resistance, and the railroad has been that way for a while because there hasn’t been a lot of sweeps near the railroad,” he told San José Spotlight.

Matt Parker, operating practices manager at West Coast Railroaders Group, said workers transport and provide motorcars, track equipment, railroad maintenance and even work with museums for recreational train rides — all on Union Pacific-owned tracks.

“​​We’re seeing an increase in pedestrian incidents, and that is creating a hostile work environment for the workers. When they hit somebody, whether injuring or killing them, there’s a psychological effect on the crew members too,” he told San José Spotlight. “(Because of the) cost cutting the railroads have employed to increase profits and returns for shareholders, we don’t have as many sworn peace officers to deal with the problem.”

While Union Pacific’s annual reports show its parent company more than doubled profits over the past 20 years, from about $11 billion in 2003 to about $24 billion in 2023, its workforce shrank by about 35% during the same time frame.

“The problem spills over into the nearby communities as well, but it definitely creates a safety issue not just for the workers, but for these people living there too,” Parker said.