From the NYTimes website:
January 16, 2007
Boys Allegedly Take Train on Joy Ride
Filed at 10:50 p.m. ET
NELSONVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- An early morning joy ride on a train engine -- with the whistle blowing, ended back in juvenile detention for two boys who walked away from an unlocked detention home, authorities said.
The boys managed to start up the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway locomotive early Tuesday morning after breaking through a side door into the building that houses the engine, said Sgt. Edward Kurtz of Nelsonville police. No cars were attached to the engine that usually hauls tourists.
The tracks go by the windows of the city police station, and Hocking College police also noticed the engine rolling down the tracks.
''That's very unusual. The train runs only on weekends,'' Kurtz said.
He said the boys rode about 12 miles to Logan, blowing the train whistle and waking residents, stopping by a grocery store off U.S. 23, where Athens County sheriff's deputies took them into custody.
Matthew Burks, 16, of Proctorville, and Zachary Walden, 13, of Portsmouth, are charged with juvenile counts of burglary, theft and escape, police said.
Burks, who had some knowledge of trains, was driving the engine, Kurtz said.
''He got it started and away they went,'' he said.
The boys had walked away late Monday from Hocking Valley Community Residential Center in Nelsonville, where youths stay on the honor system instead of going to a state detention center after juvenile felony convictions, said Valerie Roth, assistant director.
Nelsonville is about 60 miles southeast of Columbus.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
route_rock wrote: Too funny. What was the make of the loco? WOuld love to see how a 16 year old could just drive on off after starting it (come on it isnt liek there is a key and a gearshift lol)
You havn't played train simulator have you?
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
Yes played train sim. And yes play with the real ones. Too many things dont add up.Lot of safety items that need to be done before you can just throw her in "drive" and roll on down the line. But if I knew then what I know now that could have been me lol J/K I prefer my boring clean slate, I can do more with it than a rap sheet two miles long.
Anyway toss the kids in juvie, go ahead and then let them go and volunteer their time there at said museum to work off their infraction.Heck the kid might be a good kid someday, and a better engineer or volunteer.
Wow, the kid started the train up and took off in it. Makes for a Funny Story, glad no one got hurt. If the kid only wanted to go out for a joy-ride he could of at-least picked a less conspicous ride. Lets see a car? or a locomotive? Which is more likely to be noticed at 1 am?
I for one, if I went for joyriding, I would take the locomotive just for the "joy" factor. But I wouldn't do it in the first place.
-Willie
RR Redneck wrote: route_rock wrote: Too funny. What was the make of the loco? WOuld love to see how a 16 year old could just drive on off after starting it (come on it isnt liek there is a key and a gearshift lol)You havn't played train simulator have you?
It's not rocket science.
Pump
Ok I have read the ditto its not rocket science. No kidding were not moving rockets were moving locomotives.So kids how about you pm me and tell me just how these locos get moved smiles. If you pass the test I will applaud you and say good you know what your talking about. Till then you must assume you think you know how to do it.
So lets review, this kid had a railroad background, it wasnt from playing train sim, and the average player of said sims couldnt come out and move a locomotive( diesel anyway as steam is a totally different bear) And yes I run both types of power. From the new GEVOS and SD70ace to SD-9's and any other junk we get in at the terminal.BTW dual control stands area pain to cut in and out till you get the hang of it( and I think I may have lost the hang of it being off so long)
So lets all take a nice deep breath there thats better.
route_rock wrote: Ok I have read the ditto its not rocket science. No kidding were not moving rockets were moving locomotives.So kids how about you pm me and tell me just how these locos get moved smiles. If you pass the test I will applaud you and say good you know what your talking about. Till then you must assume you think you know how to do it. So lets review, this kid had a railroad background, it wasnt from playing train sim, and the average player of said sims couldnt come out and move a locomotive( diesel anyway as steam is a totally different bear) And yes I run both types of power. From the new GEVOS and SD70ace to SD-9's and any other junk we get in at the terminal.BTW dual control stands area pain to cut in and out till you get the hang of it( and I think I may have lost the hang of it being off so long) So lets all take a nice deep breath there thats better.
Agree 100% Train Sim does NOT show you the ALL the stuff you need to know.....
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
Well as a former RR employee (worked for a shortline) I can tell you I don't know if I could start a locomotive up. I know enough if one was already running to get it going. The RR I worked for had a fleet of GP-9's and I remember each one was different and some were easily started others were pains and you would have to go and do this and that instead of just starting it like the others. I was told by a friend that volunteers at the Hocking Valley that said locomotive is a "B**** to start!!!!" and even some of the "old timers" (retired RR-er's) have a hard time getting that locomotive started so he was impressed that a kid could get it started and out on the road.
As far as the whole Train Sim statement that is absurd.... there is a lot of difference there such as starting the locomotive. I have played the Pilot games for planes but that doesn't mean I would be able to get into a plane and take off in it, it doesn't make me a pilot.