Southwest Train Robberies: Hijacking the Tracks along the Southern Corridor

Following the 1854 Gadsden Purchase, southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico became the nation's Southern Corridor, a vital railroad route linking Texas and California. Between 1883 and 1922, the region saw sixteen train robberies as outlaws targeted lucrative rail shipments. Cochise County became a haven for train robbers, where even lawmen sometimes protected or joined them. Despite efforts by Wyatt Earp, Texas John Slaughter, and eventually the Arizona Rangers, the line between outlaw and lawman was often blurred.

Southwest Train Robberies recounts the daring heists, colorful gangs, and remarkable escapes that defined the era. From criminals using their own caboose to scout targets to legends of loot hidden in Colossal Cave, these stories reveal a wild frontier where luck, deception, and audacity often triumphed over justice and inspired classic Western legends like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Info

ISBN: 1493071106

Published date: 2023

Author: Doug Hocking

Paperback