Phoenix man tries turning locomotive into a runaway train

PHOENIX – A Phoenix man was close to turning a locomotive into his own runaway train.

Police say 20-year-old Julio Rodriguez was arrested earlier this month after trying to steal a train from a rail yard just south of downtown Phoenix.

Union Pacific Railroad workers say they were alarmed when they heard the train horn Nov. 8 and went to investigate.

They discovered Rodriguez, who was actually released from jail earlier that day, sitting in the engineer’s seat.

Employees removed him and found he had moved levers and pushed buttons.

They say he was one pedal away from actually moving the train.

According to court documents, Rodriguez admitted to trying to steal the train.

He faces charges of theft of means of transportation and burglary.