DEPTFORD TWP. ÊFrom the street, the cozy white rancher with the black shutters looks like any other well-kept home on the block.
Except for two massive railroad signals rising from the back yard.
And the big blue and white Conrail signs hanging from a wooden gate.
Hundreds of pieces of railroad property were confiscated from the Windsor Lane home here Friday in a joint operation that included officers from Deptford Township and the FBI along with CSX Railroad Police from three states.
"We are in the process of recovering a significant amount of railroad equipment, not only belonging to CSX but several other major railroads, as well," said Gary Sease, spokesman for CSX.
The multi-agency raid started around 10 a.m. when authorities entered the home with a search warrant.
Gloucester County tax records state that the property is owned by Michael Kaluhiokalani.
An online search of that name brought up the Internet handle "conrail33" associated with Kaluhiokalani's name on multiple railroad message boards. Under Kaluhiokalani's online profile, the interest "railfaning" was listed.
Crews from Conrail's regional train yard at Woodbury worked Friday afternoon to bring down the two massive signals that were wired to the home's electrical system and fully functional.
Authorities were also able to turn signal warning bells off and on during the operation.
Throughout the day, multiple truckloads of items were driven away from the home in Deptford Public Works trucks.
As police walked from the property carrying such items as ground signals and giant wrenches used on railroad cars, a Conrail flag flew from a pole in a side yard.
Along with multiple signs from various rail yards plus a number of reflective vests, protective helmets and small signal lamps, an air horn from the cab of a locomotive sat on the front yard awaiting police disposition.
Officials are still cataloging the number and kind of items recovered from the raid.
"It's been described to me as a significant amount of railroad equipment," Sease said. "These are items that are used in everyday operations of railroads ... equipment that is usually quite costly."
In the bed of one of the trucks ferrying the railway items were also a number of highway signs, including ones from Maryland and from Interstate 79. That highway runs from West Virginia through Pennsylvania.
Neighbors said that though he had a hot temper, Kaluhiokalani pretty much kept to himself. Many noted that he was employed as a truck driver.
"I just think he's an avid collector," said one man who lives a few houses down. "Some people keep the small trains. Well, he keeps stuff for the real ones."
Many of the Conrail signs identify rail yards in Philadelphia, Allentown and northern New Jersey. One placard was for the Oak Island Yard, the only major rail yard in the New York metro area.
Conrail ceased operations in 1999, so there is the outside possibility that the signs were acquired legally, authorities noted.
The neighbor declined to give his name, as did many of those who live on the block. The man noted that blasts from a locomotive horn on the property would go off at random hours of the day.
Pointing across the way, the neighbor said, "The person who lives in that house had called and complained about the sounds of the horn and was told that, as long as it goes off during certain hours, he could do it."
When a whistle sounded from a Norfolk Southern train bound for Camden a mile away, the noise elicited a quick response from another resident.
"You hear that noise?" she asked. "Can you imagine that in your back yard? It's as loud as that."
This isn't the first time authorities have visited the virtual train depot without tracks, one officer said on condition of anonymity. On at least two prior occasions, items had been removed from the home.
Speaking for CSX, Cease said he was unaware of previous incidents.
As of deadline, Kaluhiokalani had not met with authorities in person.
I wonder if he knows who stole the pot signals at Locust & 58th St.
Went by Locust last night......the dwarf signals are back in for 1 & 2 mains....track 4 however has a pole in the ground with what looks like a red light from a cossing gate.
