Revolt

BRAZIL

Millions of wartime commuters have longed to do it; last week a few hundred Brazilians did it.

Clanking and wheezing, a spavined suburban train crept out of Rio de Janeiro. Late as usual, packed to the gills with the sweating homeward-bound, it broke down outside the city. For a while the passengers endured with true commuter calm. Then, like an oilfield fire, wild revolt swept through the train. The long-suffering customers tore out the seats by the roots, dragged down light fixtures and luggage racks, turned the train into a shambles.

The worm-turning spirit spread to a crowd at a nearby station, who joined in the fun of tossing rocks to destroy signboards. When the train began to move again, the rebellious commuters clambered aboard--but at every stopping place they spread revolution and left behind a trail of mob-torn stations.

One worm-turned-dragon finally went too far: he set the train on fire. As the flames crept forward, the driver unhitched the engine, sped up the line for police.

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