I resent the inference there are a lot of thieves here, any one who has been here for a while knows when we ferret one out they are usually harassed out of the forum. That said there are a lot of noobs here that know nothing about the rules of railroads. because of protection laws taking railroad equipment of any type even the steel slag often found along the tracks is akin to shooting an FBI* agent. even getting documentation for a purchase is risky when it comes to selling it even if you know exactly what you are doing. these laws date back to the 1800s and the Harrimans and Rockafellers when steel on the frontier was scarce and expensive, and the ranchers and black smiths found a ready supply at the nearest rr track.