The Great Freight-Train Heists of the 21st Century

Train robberies are back. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~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~~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0S_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTUyJmVtYz1lZGl0X21hXzIwMjQwMTI2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExMzUxMiZubD10aGUtbmV3LXlvcmstdGltZXMtbWFnYXppbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1NjQ2MSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZbHkl7NlObwoV1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD)[Continue reading the main story](#) [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0SmaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTY2JmxpPU1BJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1NQV8yMDI0MDEyNiZ0ZT0xJm5sPXRoZS1uZXcteW9yay10aW1lcy1tYWdhemluZSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNlcDbnl0QgplseSXs2U5vChXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [The New York Times Magazine](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0TPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi9tYWdhemluZT9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) January 26, 2024 ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMy9tYWdhemluZS90cmFpbi1yb2JiZXJ5LWFtYXpvbi1wYWNrYWdlcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTUyJmVtYz1lZGl0X21hXzIwMjQwMTI2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExMzUxMiZubD10aGUtbmV3LXlvcmstdGltZXMtbWFnYXppbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1NjQ2MSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZbHkl7NlObwoV1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD Illustration by Pablo Delcan. Source image: ‘‘Rage at Dawn’’ (1955) film still from Mary Evans Picture Library/RKO/Ronald Grant Archive/Everett Collection. FEATURES [[Article Image] Photo illustration by Pablo Delcan](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMy9tYWdhemluZS90cmFpbi1yb2JiZXJ5LWFtYXpvbi1wYWNrYWdlcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTUyJmVtYz1lZGl0X21hXzIwMjQwMTI2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExMzUxMiZubD10aGUtbmV3LXlvcmstdGltZXMtbWFnYXppbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1NjQ2MSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZbHkl7NlObwoV1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [The Great Freight-Train Heists of the 21st Century The explosion of the e-commerce economy has created an opportunity for thieves — and a conundrum for the railways. By Malia Wollan](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMy9tYWdhemluZS90cmFpbi1yb2JiZXJ5LWFtYXpvbi1wYWNrYWdlcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTUyJmVtYz1lZGl0X21hXzIwMjQwMTI2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExMzUxMiZubD10aGUtbmV3LXlvcmstdGltZXMtbWFnYXppbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1NjQ2MSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZbHkl7NlObwoV1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [[Worcester Polytechnic Institute.] Brian Ulrich for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP4QAAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjQvMDEvMjIvbWFnYXppbmUvd29yY2VzdGVyLXBvbHl0ZWNobmljLWluc3RpdHV0ZS1zdWljaWRlcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTUyJmVtYz1lZGl0X21hXzIwMjQwMTI2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExMzUxMiZubD10aGUtbmV3LXlvcmstdGltZXMtbWFnYXppbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1NjQ2MSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZbHkl7NlObwoV1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [The Unthinkable Mental Health Crisis That Shook a New England College Over six terrible months, professors and administrators at Worcester Polytechnic Institute took on the unofficial role of counselors during a spate of campus suicides. 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Roberts.] Dina Litovsky for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMS9tYWdhemluZS9oZXJpdGFnZS1mb3VuZGF0aW9uLWtldmluLXJvYmVydHMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Inside the Heritage Foundation’s Plans for ‘Institutionalizing Trumpism’ “People will lose their jobs,” the think tank’s president says about federal workers. “Hopefully their lives are able to flourish in spite of that.” By Lulu Garcia-Navarro](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMS9tYWdhemluZS9oZXJpdGFnZS1mb3VuZGF0aW9uLWtldmluLXJvYmVydHMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) COLUMNS [[An illustration of three people: The letter writer, a woman, consoling her ex-husband, who appears distraught, and a smug-looking college student, who walks away from the exes while reading a letter. The student carries a messenger bag crammed full with letters, which float out of the bag and cascade around the former couple, making a literal and metaphorical mess.] Illustration by Tomi Um](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yNS9tYWdhemluZS9zdHJhbmdlci1sZXR0ZXJzLXB1cmNoYXNlLWV0aGljcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTUyJmVtYz1lZGl0X21hXzIwMjQwMTI2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExMzUxMiZubD10aGUtbmV3LXlvcmstdGltZXMtbWFnYXppbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1NjQ2MSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZbHkl7NlObwoV1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [The ETHICIST A Stranger Bought a Set of Highly Personal Letters. Can I Call Him Out? The magazine’s Ethicist columnist on whether the intimate details of one’s live should ever be sold by someone else. 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By Eric Kim](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0T0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yNC9tYWdhemluZS9iZWFucy1vbGl2ZXMtY2ktc2lhbW8tcmVjaXBlLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NTImZW1jPWVkaXRfbWFfMjAyNDAxMjYmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTEzNTEyJm5sPXRoZS1uZXcteW9yay10aW1lcy1tYWdhemluZSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTU2NDYxJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplseSXs2U5vChXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [[An illustration of a person crawling out of a dark pool inside of a ring while their friends wait outside with gifts.] Illustration by Jose Berrio](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMy9tYWdhemluZS9kaXZvcmNlLWdpZnQtcmVnaXN0cnkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Letter of Recommendation I Didn’t Want Wedding Presents. But Gifts Helped Me Survive My Divorce. The case for a new ritual that acknowledges this strange, tender moment of rupture. By Leslie Jamison](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8yMy9tYWdhemluZS9kaXZvcmNlLWdpZnQtcmVnaXN0cnkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [[An illustration of John Hodgman in judges’ robes, holding a gavel.] Illustration by Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP4QWAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjQvMDEvMjUvbWFnYXppbmUvanVkZ2Utam9obi1ob2RnbWFucy1jYXNlLWZvci1jYXRlZ29yaXppbmctc3Rhci13YXJzLWFzLWZhbnRhc3kuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Judge John Hodgman’s Case for Categorizing ‘Star Wars’ as Fantasy The series has never been science fiction. By John Hodgman](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnlhzkP4QWAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjQvMDEvMjUvbWFnYXppbmUvanVkZ2Utam9obi1ob2RnbWFucy1jYXNlLWZvci1jYXRlZ29yaXppbmctc3Rhci13YXJzLWFzLWZhbnRhc3kuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01MiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9tYV8yMDI0MDEyNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTM1MTImbmw9dGhlLW5ldy15b3JrLXRpbWVzLW1hZ2F6aW5lJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTY0NjEmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmWx5JezZTm8KFdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? 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