Darius McCollum loves New York City transit—really, really, loves it. Growing up with Asperger’s syndrome, McCollum found sanctuary in the subway. He understood and appreciated the rhythms and routines of transportation, and by age eight he had memorized the entire subway system and become a beloved sidekick of MTA workers. When McCollum was 15, a subway conductor allowed him to drive a train by himself. Though he operated the train perfectly, McCollum was arrested after six stops for impersonating a transit employee. In the years since, McCollum’s fixation with the MTA, and their unwillingness to consider him for employment, has compelled him to commandeer hundreds of trains and buses. While his joy rides have never caused any harm to property or person, McCollum has been arrested 32 times and spent 23 years in a maximum-security prison. Off the Rails introduces us to a sweet man struggling with a deep obsession, and highlights how our criminal justice system enables a cycle of recidivism.  NT