“The City of Laurens Police Department is investigating a case involving two juveniles in connection with break-ins at two railroad facilities in the City of Laurens – Carolina Piedmont Railroad and CSX Transportation Railroad – on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Between approximately 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM, the juveniles unlawfully entered the railroad facilities. Investigators determined they started an engine that was connected to two other engines and then drove all three around the yard before taking them onto the rail line that connects toward Greenville,” says a Facebook post from the Laurens, South Carolina Police Department on a recent amateur railroading mishap.

“While attempting to return the engines to the yard, the juveniles collided with parked railcars, causing a derailment of the engine and significant damage to one of the cars. Both juveniles have been charged with the following offenses: Burglary, Second Degree, Grand Larceny (over $10,000), Malicious Damage to Property (over $10,000), Willful Destruction of Railroad Property, and Injury to Railroad. The juveniles have been detained at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia,” the post continued and Christ, that’s a bit of overkill, isn’t it? They were trying to put the train back where they found it. “Willful” and “malicious” would be if they crashed it on purpose rather than simply fucked up the parking job like lots of other teens without train operator licenses would.

“This was a dangerous and reckless act,” said Chief Heath Copeland, adding “railroad property is not a place to play. Trains, rail lines, and yards present serious risks, and unauthorized access can have life-threatening consequences,” without so much as allowing that the two kids had at least tried to railroad responsibly and be respectful to the railroad property they borrowed and almost put back.