#Outlaws of the old west train station how to
#Outlaws of the old west train station series

“Although he robbed stagecoaches and trains, he never robbed the passengers. While it’s not known whether Cassidy himself showed up in person to the crime, he is credited for engineering it and sharing in the spoils.īutch Cassidy: The True Story of an American Outlaw Well aware of this fact, the Wild Bunch came prepared with dynamite.Īfter blowing up two of the train’s safes, the ragtag gang made off with more than $50,000. Following the recommendations of Railroad Police officers, trains stored valuable cargo like gold and cash in heavy duty safes. Their first heist was in 1899 with a Union Pacific train outside of Wilcox, Wyoming. With Cassidy as their leader, Harry Longabaugh - who the world knows as the Sundance Kid - and the rest of the Wild Bunch executed some of the most successful train robberies in history. He was even described as being the “best man” many of his criminal contemporaries had ever encountered, according to biographer Charles Leerhsen. By the time the Wild Bunch gang was formed shortly before the turn of the century, Cassidy had earned an unconventional reputation for being generous and unthreatening to ordinary people.

#Outlaws of the old west train station series

Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and the Wild Bunch Source: Wikimedia Commonsīutch Cassidy’s famous life of crime began with a series of brazen bank robberies in Colorado and Idaho in the late 1800s.

However, that extra layer of security couldn’t always prevent ambitious thieves from pulling off dramatic and deadly train heists.įrom crude holdups to sophisticated capers, the criminals behind the train robberies of the late 1800s and early 1900s are some of the most notorious characters in the Old West. Here’s a look at some of the most famous train robbers of the American West.

When a detective and deputy sheriff caught up with the gang two days later, they were shot and killed.ĭramatic and deadly incidents like this one inspired railroad companies to hire security officers to protect their interests. In 1878, the infamous Hole-in-the-Wall Gang successfully tried their hands at train robbery with a Union Pacific train outside of Carbon, Wyoming. While there’s a modern affinity and fascination for the subject of train robbery, it’s important to point out that the crimes these rugged men perpetrated often included murder. However, unsavory characters quickly learned that railcars were easy and highly lucrative targets. Railroads were crucial for bringing money, goods, labor, and connection to and from this new and exciting part of the country.

The legacy of the Railroad Police dates back to the mid-1860s, when rail lines began to extend westward into the American Frontier.

With billions of dollars in cargo transported via rail in the United States each year, this specialized team of officers protects a vital part of American commerce. America’s Railroad Police might be the least known cops in America, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important.

#Outlaws of the old west train station how to

But there’s a large and fascinating wing of American law enforcement that you’re probably not aware of: The Railroad Police.Įach year, 500 cadets travel to Mississippi to learn how to keep America’s railways - and the cargo and people who ride them - safe. When you think of law enforcement in America, local police, detectives, and FBI agents probably come to mind. The American West’s most notorious train robbers include a violent killer, members of organized gangs, and criminals who perished in dramatic shootouts with police.