First Robbery of a Moving Train

Overview

On Oct. 6, 1866, the Reno Gang staged what is considered to be the first robbery of a moving train. The gang, which included brothers Frank, John, Simeon and William Reno, targeted an Ohio & Mississippi Railroad train near Seymour, Indiana, entering an express car and making off with an estimated $10,000 to $16,000 in cash and gold.

They helped to establish train robbery as a notorious form of crime during the post-Civil War era. Active during the late 1860s, the gang carried out a series of robberies that reportedly netted an estimated $140,000 to $150,000, although historical accounts differ on the exact total.

Quick Facts

Date
Oct. 6, 1866

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