Darius McCollum, a 43-year-old man known for his obsession with trains was arrested without any incidents this morning. The man was spotted impersonating a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) worker at the Columbus Circle station with a complete set of gear labeled with the Transit Authority logo, which included gloves, flashlight, hardhat and a knapsack, in addition to the T-shirt and work pants generally worn by track workers. He was caught right before entering a restricted area inside the station.

He was charged with criminal trespass, criminal impersonation and because of the screwdriver and hammer found in his backpack, he was also charged with possession of burglary tools.

He has already been arrested 23 times on similar counts and his obsession has been getting him in trouble for the past 20 years. His first encounter with the law happened when he was a teen, back in 1981, when he commandeered an E train, full of unsuspecting passengers, through Manhattan. Over the years he has been arrested for sneaking into train yards, carrying stolen identification and also driving busses.

Darius McCollum apparently suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, which is a type of autism and his mother has made significant efforts to get him on the right track by trying to keep her son by her side in North Carolina. Unfortunately, Mr. McCollum is deeply passionate about New York and returns there with every chance he gets.

In a statement issued by the New York Transit Authority, its officials thanked the authorities for their prompt intervention, saying that: "It is not difficult to imagine how much harm could be caused by someone impersonating a New York City Transit worker" as quoted by the Associated Press.