Progressive Railroading, March 2017:
Railroads take steps to stop criminals from stealing guns, copper
Norfolk Southern Railway's Chicago-area yards have become popular spots for gun thieves over the past few years. In May 2014, criminals snatched 13 assault-style rifles from cars near the Class I's 63rd Street yard, according to a Chicago Tribune report.
A year later, two men were charged with federal gun crimes after they nabbed more than 100 firearms from parked trains on the city's South Side, the Chicago Sun-Times reported in June 2015.
There was yet another gun robbery from the 63rd Street yard in 2016.
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Copper theft also has been a longtime problem for some railroads. Stealing copper is appealing to thieves because the metal is used for many items, Morristown & Erie Railway Chief of Police Chip Greiner said at Progressive Railroading's 2016 Secure Rail Conference. In addition, reselling copper can generate big profits for some.
The impacts of metal theft are wide reaching. In addition to the monetary costs involved with replacing copper, railroads may face service disruptions, as was the case for MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) in spring 2015. After thieves stole copper cables along the agency's A rail line, NYCT was forced to temporarily suspend service along a portion of the route.
More here.