Bedlam on the West Virginia Rails: The Last Train Bandit Tells his True Tale

by Wilson Casey

True story firsthand account by America's last moving train robber, Lu Ramsdell, as told to author Wilson Casey

In 1949, two bandits from Youngstown, OH boarded a B & O passenger train from Washington, DC to Detroit. In the West Virginia mountains near Martinsburg, Luman "Lu" Ramsdell and his gang stopped the train to rob and terrorize nearly 150 people on board. They pistol-whipped several and shot at others before exiting the train to next rob a tavern and hijack getaway cars. National headlines likened the event to the exploits of Jesse James and the halcyon days of the wild West. Lu and the gang led authorities on a chase that ended with a harrowing shootout five blocks from the white House. Climb aboard with author Wilson Casey for a firsthand account from the head bandit himself in the true tale of America's last moving train robbery.

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2015

Reviews

[Paul Lunger · Rating 4 out of 5]

When asking the question who was responsible for last great train robbery in American history most people would think it was something that was done by Jesse James or Butch Cassidy. That thought though would be wrong with the answer being a man named Luman "Lu" Ramsdell who along with 1 other person would rob a train in 1949 in Martinsburg, WV an event lost at times to history. Wilson Casey met Ramsdell and interviewed him for what would become his book "Bedlam on the West Virgina Rails: The Last Train Bandit Tells his True Tale". The tale itself goes through Ramsdell's life story and his life of crime as well up until that fateful day in 1949 when this event took place. The book itself is a bit of an interesting read and at times is bizarre when explaining the entirety of the event, but it is a story unique to the time period and the aftermath of it as well.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author hero-worships the two-bit thug he's profiling, and tries to paint a drunken, brutal, ill-concieved robbery as some sort of heroic, historic event. Truly obnoxious.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an informative book about the honest-to-goodness last train robber. The author takes you on a journey through the life and adventures of a Mister Luman Ramsdell, and my goodness what adventures they were! A great overall read, and a great way to learn a little piece of history. As a born and raised West Virginia gal, this book literally hit close to home! Haha!