Patagonia Express train, Esquel

[aaron]

Tourism officials in Argentina are staging fake train robberies in an area where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once lived. Passengers are told to hand over their money and jewellery at "gunpoint" and only learn that it's a simulation afterwards.

The local tourist board at the city of Esquel hope the pretend robberies will attract tourists to the Patagonia Express train.

The first fake robbery happened a few days ago when 15 masked men on horses stopped the train and took money and jewellery from passengers, before handing it all back again.

Jose Ferre, director of the tourist board, told Clarin: "We want to mimic the legendary train robberies. Even though people are caught by surprise, nothing serious happens because we cautiously monitor the situation."

The robberies are not scheduled and happen randomly but are already proving popular with passengers and Mr Ferre hopes to make them a regular part of the service.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid lived near Esquel after escaping from the US around 1900.

Aaron
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