Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The Greenbrier Express train excursion from Cass to Durbin has been a great draw for locals and visitors alike. So much so, that it has attracted the attention of a wild west posse that plans to rob the train Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 2, 3 and 4.
Of course, the robbery is staged, but the entertainment is real. A group of cowboys on horseback will ride up to the train as it makes its way to Durbin and will pull a train heist for the passengers. This has been an attraction on the Mountain Rails Adventure schedule for several years, but this year, there’s a new twist.
It seems robbing the passengers on the train isn’t enough for the posse anymore. Now, they have their sights set on the Bank of Durbin.
Julius Lorentzson asked the group who portrays the robbers if they would be interested in expanding the robbery into town.
“They said, ‘oh, yes, count us in on something like that,” he said.
From there, Lorentzson reached out to Buster Varner, who owns the former Bank of Durbin building.
The train robbery will remain the same as it has for the past 11 years, with the posse robbing the train on its route to Durbin. Then, as the passengers disembark to grab lunch in Dur-bin, there will be a bit of a commotion on Main Street when the posse rides up to the bank and has a shoot out as it empties the vault.
Lorentzson said the robbery is based on the Northfield, Minnesota, bank raid by the James Gang, which took place in September 1876.
“They’ll ride into town and somebody might recognize them, so they fire off a blank into the building,” he said. “Then they’ll dash out with the money bags and ride off. There will be some return shots fired at them.”
The robbery will take place around 1:30 p.m. each of the three days, and the event is free to the public.
Lorentzson said they will keep cars away – both with parking and holding up traffic – during the event to allow the crowd to witness the action. He recommends finding a spot near the Durbin Depot which will give a good vantage point to the bank entrance.
It is noted that during both events, there will be gunfire, so those who have a sensitivity to loud noises are urged to wear earplugs.
All shots fired will be blanks, and Lorentzson said all the actors check and double check that all their rounds are blanks.