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DRAPER -- Union Pacific officials have confirmed crews seen doing construction on a FrontRunner line next to a controversial stop in Draper work for their company.
Originally, it was UTA that was accused of violating a federal order. UTA looked at video taken by a resident and says, "it wasn't our crews."
The U.S. Army Corp sent two cease-and-desist letters about possible violations of the Clean Water Act on construction of a controversial rail stop in Draper. The letters ordered UTA to stop work along two miles of its FrontRunner line in April.
Thursday, the Utah Rivers Council and Draper residents who live nearby held a press conference. A pair of residents says they observed work crews on the section of track in question four days after the Army Corps had issued its order.
One of the residents took home video of the crews as they worked.
Draper resident Deb Wangsgard said, "There definitely was a flatbed truck, which was unmarked. They had a load of rail, and there was a big, heavy piece of equipment that was picking that rail up and laying it down."
UTA officials looked at the video and say they're certain it wasn't their crews, but those of Union Pacific, which manages that rail line.
"It's Union Pacific workers. UTA has been out of that area ever since we received communication from the Army Corps of Engineers," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter. "Our rail is all offloaded from trains. We get it in very long segments and welded into continuous welded rail. Union Pacific has jointed rail. And so we couldn't even bring our rail in on a truck like that, so it was pretty obvious right from the get-go."
Union Pacific has claimed responsibility for those crews.
A representative from the Army Corps says they're aware of the complaint and will look into it.
E-mail: jdaley@ksl.com
