The Teen Who Hijacked The Subway

Trainspotter Keron Thomas was just 16 when he impersonated a subway motorman and took control of an A train in New York City on May 8th, 1993. His actions went unnoticed by his passengers, who were safely picked up and discharged at 85 stops along the route - until he slightly exceeded the speed limit, triggering the automatic brake.

Thomas, originally from Trinidad, had been fascinated with trains since childhood and had studied the subway system extensively; even obtaining an official rule book and motorman’s uniform. Despite being arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and criminal impersonation, his ‘joyride’ was widely applauded and he became something of a folk hero.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Thomas very nearly got away with his japes; consider how his treatment by the NYPD might have differed in post-911 New York; and reveal the school nickname he adopted after his adventures…

Further Reading:

• ‘MOTORMAN TAKES CITY FOR A RIDE’ (The Washington Post, 1993): https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/05/12/motorman-takes-city-for-a-ride/b5a1f7b0-61e4-4aeb-bbe1-1305fea61f64/
• ‘Can I See Your I.D.? True Stories of False Identities - By Chris Barton’ (Penguin Young Readers Group, 2011): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Can_I_See_Your_I_D_True_Stories_of_False/dTu03PnnakYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=keron+thomas+subway&pg=PT5&printsec=frontcover
• ‘Brooklyn boy takes A train for joyride’ (PIX11 News, 1993): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ql9NW0qqP0

#NewYork #90s #Black #Person

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

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