20 Most Famous Train Robberies in US

The Wildbunch Gang – Famous Train Robbers – Photo Source: Wikimedia

20 Most Famous Train Robberies in US

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, train robberies were very common, especially in America’s wild west. The robberies started immediately after the American civil war in the 1860s and went on until the 1930s.

During that time, America Wild West was teeming with armed outlaws, who saw slow-moving cash-carrying trains as easy targets for making quick money. Vast stretches of inhabited lands and lack of adequate security on trains also made it easier for the train robbers to strike and escape with relative ease.

Although most of these robberies were less violent, some of them resulted in the loss of human life, destruction of property, and massive disruption of public transportation.

While some of the robberies were big and captured people’s attentions some were small and went largely unnoticed. In this article let’s look at the 20 Most Famous Train Robberies in the US.

Read the 10 most famous Train Robberies in History  

1. The Great Train Robbery of 1912 in Poteau, Oklahoma

The Great Train Robbery of 1912 in Poteau, Oklahoma, is known as the swiftest robbery in American history. It was carried out on the morning of October 4, 1912, by a group of four robbers just three miles north of Poteau Township.

The robbers silently boarded the train as it slowed down to stop at a railway crossing and swiftly entered the engine room, catching all the crew members by surprise. They then blew the safe open and emptied its content and escaped before even the passengers knew there was a robbery in progress.

By daybreak, the lawmen and local vigilantes launched a massive manhunt for the robbers, but the robbers were long gone without a trace. In total, the gang made off with over $7,000 together with most of the registered mail that was on the train.

2. Big Springs, Nebraska Train Robbery (1877)

Union Pacific Centennial EMD 40X locomotive – Photo Source: Wikimedia

The Blue Springs train robbery which happened in Nebraska on September 18, 1877, is one of the most famous train robberies in US history.  It was also among the first train robberies to be carried out successfully on US soil.

The robbery was carried out by an outlaw gang known as the “Black Hills Bandits” to a Union Pacific express train carrying newly minted gold pieces from the San Francisco Mint to a bank in the eastern United States.

Overall, the gang reportedly made away with $60,000   [equivalent to over $1.5 million today] and four gold watches they stole from passengers. To date, The Blue Springs train robbery remains the largest single robbery in the history of the Union Pacific Railroad.

3. Rondout Train Robbery (1924)

Arguably the most famous of all train robberies ever to be carried out in the United States, The Rondout Train Robbery is also the biggest train heist in American history. It was carried out on June 12, 1924, by the famous Newton brothers’ gang at a remote crossing in Rondout, Illinois.

Two of the brothers boarded the mail train and forced it to stop at a rail intersection where other brothers and their accomplices were waiting. Together, the gang attacked and subdued the guards before making away with more than $3 million in cash and bonds.

The Newton brothers were among the most famous criminal gangs in the early 20th century,  believed to have carried out six successful train robberies and more than 80 bank robberies between 1919 and 1924.

4. The Union Pacific Train Robbery (1899)

Union Pacific Train – Photo Source Wikimedia

In the early morning of June 2, 1899, A Union Pacific train was flagged down by a group of robbers before it could cross a wooden bridge near the Wilcox Station, Wyoming.

They then separated and drove one part of the train across the bridge before damaging the bridge to prevent any other train from reaching them. They blew open the safe using dynamite and proceeded to steal cash and other valuables amounting close to $50,000.

Although at first, it was not clear who had carried out the robbery, it was later linked to the Wild Bunch gang led by one of the most famous train robbers and outlaw gang leaders, Butch Cassidy.

5. Gads Hill Missouri Great Train Robbery (1874)

Gads Hill Missouri Great Train Robbery was among the first train robberies to be committed by outlaws in the American Old West. It was carried out on January 31st, 1874 in the small town of Gads Hill, Missouri by five members of the James-Younger gang.

The gang had entered the small town earlier in the day and waited for their targeted train to arrive. After the train arrived, the group created a bonfire on the train tracks and waved a red flag which forced the train driver to stop immediately.

They then forced their way into the train and proceeded to steal an estimated $12,000 (equivalent to $312,000 today) in cash and other valuables before escaping into the countryside.

6.  The Baxter’s Curve Train Robbery, Texas, US (1912)

Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch – Photo Source: Wikimedia

Although the robbery did end successfully and no money was lost, the Baxter’s Curve Train Robbery, also known as the Sanderson Train Robbery was carried out at about 12:05 am, March 13, 1912.

The robbery was staged near the town of Sanderson, Texas, by a famous train robber, Ben Kilpatrick, and his partner Ole Hobek. Posing as innocent passengers, the duo boarded Southern Pacific’s Train in Dryden and commenced the robbery once they got out of town.

However, their mission went horribly wrong after the train’s crew members fought back and managed to kill both robbers before they could complete their mission. The heroic action of the crew members became national sensational news, which made Baxter’s Curve Train Robbery even more famous.

See also the 20 most famous Train Robbers in the World

7. The Fairbank Train Robbery (1900)

The Fairbank train robbery became famous because it was one of the very few train robberies to be carried out in public. It was staged on the night of February 15, 1900, in the town of Fairbank, Arizona by a gang of five train robbers.

The group led by the famous train robber known as “Three Fingered Jack” had arrived in town earlier that day and pretended to be drunken cowboys. However, when the train arrived,  the men attacked immediately resulting in a fierce gun battle that left “Three Fingered Jack” seriously injured.

 Finally, the gang overpowered the guards and boarded the train but they could not find the key to open the safe and they did not have dynamites to blow it open. They left the scene very disappointed as they only got seventeen Mexican pesos.

8. The Cochise, Arizona Train Robbery (1899)

Union Pacific Train Cochise Arizona – Photo by The Old Pueblo From Wikimedia

Unlike most train robberies which normally happened in isolated areas, The Cochise train robbery was carried out in a public place. The robbery took place around midnight, on September 9, 1899, at the small railway station of Cochise, Arizona.

The robbers led by two famous outlaws, Alvord and Stiles, attacked a Wells Fargo express car which they had learned was carrying the United States Army’s payroll for the soldiers stationed at Fort Huachuca.

They proceeded to blow the safe’s door open with dynamites and stole currency and gold amounting to over $10,000.  What made this particular robbery famous was that it was successfully carried out without a single shot being fired. 

9. DeAutremont Brothers Train Robbery (1923)

Although it was generally unsuccessful, the DeAutremont Brothers Train Robbery made news headlines across the US after the robbers shot and killed four of the train crew members. The murders caused anger among the general population which triggered one of the longest national wide manhunts in US history.

The robbery attempt was carried out by a young inexperienced criminal gang comprising three brothers on October 11, 1923, a few miles from the Siskiyou station Oregon.

They attacked the train hoping to steal  $40,000 in gold that was on board, but their inexperience made them use too much dynamite as they blew open the safe which resulted in the death of the mail clerk. They also shot and killed the conductor, fireman, and engineer in what came to be known as the Siskiyou massacre.

Read the 10 most famous Robberies in the US

10. The Verdi Train Robbery (1870)

Believed to be the first train robbery in the midwest, the Verdi Train Robbery is one the most famous train robberies in the US.  It was carried out on Nov. 4, 1870,  in the small town of Verdi by a gang of five men,  targeting around $60,000 worth of gold and silver the train was carrying.

Led by “Big Jack” Davis, a well-known Virginia City miner who had no prior criminal record, the men boarded the train posing as innocent passengers when the train stopped at Verdi around midnight.

A few miles from the town, the gang whipped out their pistols, took control of the train, and looted around  $41,000 before escaping into the darkness. However, every member of the gang was arrested a few days later, and $39,500 of the stolen money was recovered.

11. The Rock island train robbery (1873)

Jesse James portrait – Photo Source: Wikimedia

Although the robbery yielded very little compared to other train robberies, the Rock Island train robbery became famous because it was the first time the robbers intercepted and robbed a moving train.

The robbery took place on July 21, 1873, when a group of men belonging to Jesse James and the Younger Brothers gang derailed the rock island train near Turkey creek one and a half miles west of Adair, Iowa.

Hoping to steal $75,000 worth of gold they had learned would be in the train, the robbers quickly boarded the train, forced the manager to open the safe, and proceeded to ransack the train.  

However,  they left the scene very disappointed as they only found $2000 in the safe, far much less than the big money they hoping to find.

12. The Southbound Rock Island train robbery (1895)

On the night of April 3, 1895, a group of five men led by William “Tulsa Jack” Blake boarded and robbed a southbound Rock Island train. They forced their way into the train and stole over  $400 in cash.

They also stole jewelry and high-valued watches from panic-stricken passengers whom they threatened to shoot at once if they offered any kind of resistance.

13. The Iron Mountain-Missouri Pacific train robbery (1911)

On March 24, 1911, three men led by notorious train robber, McCurdy, successfully stopped the Iron Mountain-Missouri Pacific train No 104. They targeted this particular train after getting the information that one of the cars contained a safe with $4,000.

However, their mission did not well after they used a large amount of nitro-glycerine, which completely destroyed the safe together with all of the money it contained. They only managed to get around $450 in silver coins, most of which were melted and fused to the safe’s frame.

14. The Santa- Fe passenger train robberies (1891)

The Santa Fe passenger train was subjected to two robberies in just over one year by the notorious Dalton Gang. The train was first robbed in May of 1891 when five Dalton gang members attacked the train and made away with around $1,500. 

They struck again at Red Rock in June of 1892, and this time they were more successful than the first time as they managed to steal over $70,000 in cash.

15. The Southern Pacific Railroad passenger train robbery (1937)

Southern Pacific Railroad Train – Photo Source: Wikimedia

Regarded as the last major American robbery, the Southern Pacific Railroad passenger train robbery attempt was carried out on November 25, 1937. It was staged by two young men, Henry Loftus and Harry Donalson near El Paso, Texas.

The robbers had boarded the train posing as innocent passengers but pulled out their guns once the train was well out of the station. They then started to move around the train threatening and demanding money from panic-stricken passengers.

However, the inexperienced young men could not hold their nerves and they lost control of the situation which led to their arrest by angry passengers.  They were later handed over to law enforcement officers and were sentenced to long prison terms.

Read  the Top 10 facts about the Great Train Robbery, UK 

16. The Okesa “Katy limited” train robbery (1923)

Photo Source: Wikimedia

The Okesa “Katy limited” train robbery was pulled off by Spencer’s gang in the early morning of August 21, 1923. It was a well-executed robbery planned by career criminals, Earl Thayer and Frank Nash, both of whom had been robbing trains since the early 1900s.

The robbers also included well-known criminals, Riley Dixon, Curtis Kelly, George Curtis, Rover Durrill, and Spencer himself. Immediately after boarding, they ransacked the train and stole more than $30,000 before escaping into the night in three different cars.

17. The Canyon Diablo Train Robbery (1889)

On the night of March 20, 1889, four masked men boarded and robbed an Atlantic and pacific train while it stopped at Canyon Diablo Train station. The robbery became famous because it was the first train robbery after the State of Arizona had changed its law, making train robbery a capital offense punishable by death.

Nevertheless, the new law did not deter the robbers as they still managed to steal an estimated $1300 from the train. They were eventually arrested and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment, escaping the death penalty that many people were hoping for.

18. The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway train robbery

Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Passenger Train – Photo Source: Wikimedia

In 1892, an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad train was attacked and robbed by a gang of robbers led by Tom (Black Jack) Ketchum and his brother Sam Ketchum. This particular train was targeted after the gang learned it would be transporting a large sum of money to Deming, New Mexico.

Tom and his gang waited and stopped the train at a water station just 20 miles north of Deming, where they overpowered the crew members and stole over $20,000, before escaping into the jungle.

By the time the help arrived from a nearby town of Nutt, the robbers had already disappeared into the night.  The money was never recovered.

19. The South Pacific train Robbery (1921)

South Pacific train is famous because it was carried out by a lone gunman named Roy Gardner. Roy was a career criminal who had gained national fame after single-handedly stealing over$78000 from a mail truck in San Diego, California one year earlier.

On May 19, 1921, Roy Gardner boarded the mail car of a South Pacific train, subdued the clerk, and stole $187000 in cash and securities. He was arrested two days later while playing cards and he never revealed the location of the stolen money.

20. The Northbound Mobile & Ohio Railroad train robbery

On October 21, 1871, a northbound Mobile & Ohio Railroad was attacked and robbed by a group of men led by Levi and Hillary Farrington at Union City, Tennessee.

Apart from Levi and Hillary Farrington, other members of the gang were identified as William Taylor, George Bertine, and a former train brakeman William Barton. In that robbery,  the men managed to steal over $6000.