To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser salon.com > Travel April 5, 2000 URL: http://www.salon.com/travel/planet/2000/04/05/fire São Paulo commuter sets train aflame Rush hour jam proves too much for one rider. - - - - - - - - - - - - By J.A. Getzlaff Anyone who's ever been late for work because of a stalled commuter train packed to the gills with sweat-soaked humanity, everyone complaining and coughing and breathing their belly breath into an airless train car, will appreciate this one. Last week in São Paulo, South America's most populous city, the São Paulo-Mogi das Cruzes commuter line broke down, leaving its suburban riders to spend a good part of the morning waiting for an available train. When a six-car locomotive finally arrived, the furious passengers piled in and braced themselves for the cramped ride into São Paolo. And that's when things went from bad to worse. Instead of chugging into the city center, the train stalled. As the minutes bled into hours, the marooned commuters' tempers went from red-hot to incendiary until somebody finally snapped -- and set the train on fire. According to the Associated Press, three of the six cars were set aflame, which eventually caused the entire locomotive to burn. No one was injured, but a spokesperson from the São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company told the Associated Press the arsonist, or arsonists, completely destroyed the train, causing U.S. $1.14 million damage. No one was arrested and police still have no idea which of the hotheads was responsible for the fire. salon.com | April 5, 2000   - - - - - - - - - - - - About the writer J.A. Getzlaff's Daily Planet appears every weekday. Do you have a tip or tale for J.A.? Send it to DailyPlanet@salon.com.