Train derailments for fun and profit.

A 17-year-old Nebraska boy is facing felony charges after he was accused of derailing a train and posting the subsequent crash on YouTube.

The Bennet, Nebraska boy was charged in Lancaster County Juvenile Court last week, though prosecutors have filed to get the case moved over to adult court, according to documents obtained by multiple local outlets.

The teen is accused of tampering with the components of a railway on April 21, causing a BNSF Railway train loaded with coal to derail. Investigators said the resulting damage to two locomotives and five cars totaled around $350,000, according to KLKN-TV and WVIT-TV.

Nebraska teen charged in 'insane' train derailment posted to YouTube (usatoday.com)

I know many of you will see this event as something outside the norm even for crazy, but there is a sad history of train sabotages for profit…

There are some where the culprit was caught and confessed that he did it to watch the train crash. The fact that you my either die crushed is not appealing but being crushed and still alive only to die in a fire is just too much for civilized minds. For many years, heat for passenger cars was provided by coal or wood stoves and the contents would spill and cause a fire during a wreck, even a minor one. It was not a surprise that train companies created their security forces and were ruthless when it came to prevent and solve sabotage.

I just hope that with the modern madness of getting cool videos for Youtube, we don’t get an idiot “influencing” people to death for kicks and hits.