Puppy frozen to railroad tracks rescued by railroad inspector
January 12, 11:15 PMMobile Animal Welfare and Protection ExaminerSandra Nathan

Lois McLean's husband, Gary, an inspector for the CSX Railroad, started his day inspecting the railroad tracks in Bessemer, Alabama on a frigid morning of January 9, 2010, temperature around 14 degrees. Gary explained that he inspects the tracks from his position riding in a specialty built "rail truck" that hugs the tracks and brushes debris off the rails.

Gary said that he had called the dispatcher before he started, and they agreed to change the direction to which he was originally dispatched to travel, which would give him just enough time to complete his inspection before the first train was due to come down those particular tracks.

"As I was riding along at a good pace," Gary said, "My truck suddenly jerked - shuddered, as if I had run over something, so I stopped and looked back, but didn't see anything. Just as I turned my head back around, I saw what I thought was a dead animal a few feet up ahead on the rail. I got off the truck and recognized that it was a puppy. I tried to pick him up, but quickly  realized the little guy was frozen, stuck to the rails. I knew he was alive because he moved his eyes, looking up at me."

Gary tried spraying water on the rail and under the puppy's chest and his  front and back feet, but the water froze as soon as it hit the ice cold rail. Nothing to do, but use his pocket knife, he carefully slide it between the tracks and the puppy's chest and feet. Finally, success. Gary said he picked up the shivering furry puppy, wrapped him up," and "Then I called my wife, sending her a photo I had snapped with my cell phone when I first discovered the puppy on the track."

Upon receiving the photo, Lois McLean posted the photo on her Facebook page. Lois credits James Spann's posting of the incident on ALABAMA ABC 33/40 WEATHER BLOG  for attracting animal lovers across the state. Offers for adoption poured in. Meanwhile, the McLeans enjoyed watching the puppy play with their three dogs in the safety and warmth of their home. Additional photos of the puppy - the McLean's daughter dubbed "Track" - were shared with his unintentional adoring public, and the list of potential adopters grew.

Gary confirmed by telephone tonight that they had decided upon an adopter, "A very sweet lady whom we feel will give "Track" a forever loving home. Its been a very interesting experience, a bit mysterious, in fact. If I had not changed my route with the dispatcher that morning, that puppy would have been run over, for sure, within the hour by the scheduled train."

"And," Gary added, "I'll never know what made my rail truck jerk, causing me to stop right there and spot that puppy's desperate situation. I'm  glad I was there - by coincidence, fate or something bigger."

To see more pics:
http://www.examiner.com/examinerslideshow.html?entryid=916622