Train Robberies

[BikerTim]

Train robberies are among the most popular tales of folklore of the old west. Many people believe that the first train robbery was committed by the Jesse James gang. Actually, this is not the case. The first train robbery was committed by a gang called the Reno Brothers, near Seymour, Indiana, on October 6, 1866. In addition to the four Reno brothers, this gang from time to time had other members who were not part of the family. This gang not only committed quite a few robberies, but also killed several people. Only one of the four brothers avoided being lynched. The other three were all lynched in New Albany, Indiana on the same night. A nearby newspaper was quoted saying "Judge Lynch has spoken" shortly afterward.

The Jesse James gang committed their first train robbery on July 21, 1873, about two miles southwest of Adair, Iowa. A roadside marker there refers to it as the "first train robbery of the west", perhaps meaning it was the first train robbery west of the Mississippi River. When I was a small boy, I lived in the next town to the west, Anita, and have seen that marker several times. I have heard that area farmers, angry with the railroad, helped the bandits escape, but I have not been able to verify.

Incidentally, the first train robbery in Texas took place in my current home town, Allen. It happened on February 22, 1878 and was done by Sam Bass and his gang. October 6 also happens to be my wedding anniversary. Is there something about me and train robberies?

[Stoker]

Rob a train today and all your likely to get is scrap metal from ground up cars on its way to China, where they still make things.

[nedfumpkin]

...or a buncj of maxed out visas, bank carcs in overdaft, or knock-off Rolexes. :)

[Grandma Ruth]

The Great Train Robbery in Britain when I was a kid (no, not during Wild West days), had practically the whole population on the side of the robbers. It even got into a song (I can't remember which) - "you get thirty years for robbing a train and two for murder, now that's insane" I can't remember what the other case was, but there was a murder case where they got two years at about the same time.

This isn't one of my best stories, is it, as I can't seem to remember much about any of it! Ah, the Sixties, what days they were ......

[thegrindre]

Since Ruth can't remember her stories, let me tell you one.

Most of you know I work in the casino business. Here in Mississippi we have 9 casinos in one area. Over the past 12 years or so, most all of them have been robbed a few times. (No one has successfully robbed one here, yet, btw.)
Here's the interesting part. I believe it's Iowa that has passed a law that states that any robber of a casino can be shot. Now, of all the casinos that have popped up all over the country and have been robbed, Iowa is the only state that has never been robbed.

[Stoker]

Anyone recall the casino robbery - or more precisely robbery ATTEMPT, of the Casino in Cortez Colorado about 10 years ago? Some idiots decided to rob the casino to fund their own political war. heir plan was to first steal a big county water truck and fit it out "Road Warrior" style and smash it into the front door of the Casino and then use it to battle their way out of town. WHY? Nobody knows- the casino was open and the doors were obviously UNLOCKED when they attempted the robbery. The morons succeeded in stealing the watertruck , fixed er up, and smashed it into the front of the casino. A gun battle broke out between the "robbers" and the casino security, and they fled in the giant water truck, automatic weapons blazing, killing a Cortex police officer and wounding a few others in the process. AMAZINGLY, the police stopped their pursuit- the morons then stole a different vehicle and disappeared into the four corners area wilderness- where they had stashed survival caches. At the time I was living in Telluride CO, and had a girlfriend in Phoenix, and was on my way from Phoenix to Telluride and of course had no idea this had taken place UNTIL I topped a hill in the middle of nowhere near Tuba City and there was about 200 police cars- army trucks- helicopters- the whole shebang, along with a "roadblock" with army personnel with bad attitudes shoving machine guns in your face. RIDICULOUS. They had literally HUNDREDS of police out there in a big "camp" standing around drinking coffee and BS-ing , as if the criminals were going to drive right up to them. Meanwhile, the perps were long gone- one of them was eventually found dead(apparently shot by the other two)- the other two got away.

P.S. When I saw the big group of cops out there in middle of nowhere, my first thought was that it must have been a plane crash or they were filming the sequel to "Blues Brothers"- but no- it was just our tax $ "at work".

[KevinL]

Here's the interesting part. I believe it's Iowa that has passed a law that states that any robber of a casino can be shot. Now, of all the casinos that have popped up all over the country and have been robbed, Iowa is the only state that has never been robbed.

Its funny how areas with strict anti-gun laws have more crime than areas that allow citizens to carry guns and fight back. But you never hear the anti-gun people justify that.

Oops, are we getting political now?

[BikerTim]

It is true that the first community to face down the James gang was Northfield, Minnesota. When the bandits tried to rob a bank there, the local citizens, instead of cowering in fear, got their guns and shot it out with the gang. So instead of getting a big heist, the James gang not only got a pittance, but so many of their gang was killed, wounded, or captured that the gang never was as dangerous again.

[ostlandr]

The Adirondack Scenic Railroad has staged train robberies for the tourists. Every Wednesday in July and August.
http://adirondackrr.com/adkrr_thendaraspecial.php

[Hawk]

I took a ride on the Upper Hudson River RR, part of the Adirondacks, and watched their Great Stagecoach Robbery play. It was pretty entertaining.

http://hawkdawg.com/photos/ridin_round/up_hud/cor.htm

Check out some of the other train rides and museums I visited on my Ridin' Around excursion too.

http://hawkdawg.com/photos/ridin_round/ri_ro.htm

[RayofSunshine]

Some people just don't learn that "crime does not pay". Just look at our overcrowded jails. So full that they release some of them to make room for more.
Guess I have just been too tame during my life, as the biggest stealing I will have to admit, was to that of 'getting away with a couple of cookies". Well at least for a time, as I didn't get any for my supper desert.

Oh I lived in Las Vegas for 16 years and there were a lot of robberies. The suspects are probably still in jail. The biggest activity was just to go around the neighborhood in North Las Vegas and shoot up the citizens.

[Lone Cat]

Interestingly. the last train robbery in the U.S. took place in 1950s. at the tunnel exit somewhere within Southern Pacific rights of way.. somewhere in or around Donner pass... perfect spots to rob... about 50 years before the 'Made in China' phenomenon.
1. What were the cargo loads the robbers look after?
2. At the beginning of 60s. did the train becomes too hard to rob? or didn't the cargo becomes lucrative worths of risks anymore? by the 80s where Caboose were being replaced by EOT device. no reports of train robbery in the US were heard of. (and still the Made in China phenomenon is yet to come)
3. Did the Caboose intended to house armed train security crew so to combat train robbery?

[RulerofRails]

I don't know that much about train robberies, so can't answer your questions definitely. I would say that when money and other high value, compact cargoes, such as gold, stopped being shipped by rail in favor of road transport, the incentive was mainly gone. It is very hard to hide a train as the owners know exactly where the tracks will take it. If you decide to unload any bulk cargoes, you will need many trucks. Historically, the chance of getting caught was increasing as well, as technology was improving and making the world smaller, so less criminals were succeeding in their heists. The rail crew probably had guns in the caboose and it also gave a vantage point to spot trouble on the train. It is debatable if a caboose was as effective in real life as in-game, though.

[RayofSunshine]

Well as RoR states, times of progress changed, so robberies became less frequent in terms of "robberies" in the transportation level. Robbers switched to holding up banks. And today, robbers just rob "everything". LOL

In a book volume on the West, there were the robberies of the Wells,Fargo,, the most notible, as there were a considerable number of stage coach, as well as individual enterprises. Now this has nothing to do with "trains", but during a number of years, there were 240 robbers caught. So, again it was the progress of law enforcement agencies, and the telegraph, which helped to curtail such activities.