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(c) Elliott Publishing.

Railroad Robbery
Err Travel · August 8, 2000

Think it's dangerous driving through Miami? Think you're at risk from disruptive passengers flying up from Buenos Aires? Think drunken motorcyclists are a danger in Thailand?

These hazards of travel are nothing compared to the crime that is perpetrated on our nation's railways. By any measure, violent crime is workin' on the railroad.

Why haven't we heard more about this national emergency?

Maybe it's because this crime spree isn't happening on major Amtrak routes or around large cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, or Washington. No. Instead, passengers are being victimized - and victimized by the hundreds - near towns like Redmond, Ore., White Pigeon, Mich., and Williams, Ariz.

According to their own admissions, these little communities sport the most dangerous rail systems in the country - maybe even in the world. These operations make a New Delhi to Calcutta train trip as safe as a ride on the Walt Disney World Railroad.

And here's the bizarre part. While most cities would like to keep quiet on the subject of crime, these towns are proud of theirs. They not only advertise their crime, they schedule it!

No kidding. Take a look at the crime statistics for some of the country's lesser known, operating railroads.

  • The Black River and Western Railroad in Flemington, New Jersey seems to be one of the safer independent railroads in the U.S. with only two robberies a year. Hum.

  • In Michigan, the Coopersville & Marne Railway, has twice the robbery rate of the Black River and Western. Moreover, they proudly schedule(!) and record a murder every year. Huh?

  • The Yolo Shortline Railroad transports freight as well as passengers in and around Woodland, Calif. With six robberies a year, you'd think they would stick with transporting freight, but oddly enough they are trying to grow their passenger business, and grow it by adding more robberies. What?

  • Here was a shocker for me. From my porch in Santa Cruz, I often hear the whistle of the train departing from Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton. Little did I realize that this bucolic little shortline chalks up around 15 robberies per year. Yikes!

  • The granddaddy of all boutique railroads is The Grand Canyon Railway, operating almost every day of the year between Williams, Arizona and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. For some weird reason, this railroad has managed to stay in business in spite of - some would say, "because of" - over 700 armed robberies a year. Go figure.

  • Finally, what is perhaps the most dangerous transportation system I have found anywhere is located in Redmond, Oregon. Redmond, Oregon! Each year, the Crooked River Railroad Company there not only gets hit with about three dozen robberies, but they find themselves having to solve 100 murders!
What's going on here? Where are the feds? Why has it fallen upon this simple Ticked-Off Traveler to expose this raging crime wave that is riding our nation's railways?

I smell conspiracy.


Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. His column appears on Wednesdays. He is author of the popular book Travel Can Be Murder. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at terry@ticked.com.