NOT TERRORISM. No, planting a pipe bomb on a busy train station is a prank.

A pipe bomb exploded in a trash receptacle at a Metra train station in Hinsdale today and, in a separate incident, passengers evacuated a train in Park Ridge after detecting a strange odor, authorities said.Police said they were questioning a man in connection with a pipe bomb in a trash bin at a station in west suburban Hinsdale. The device went off, but no injuries were reported. Nor was damage extensive. Remnants of the device were found in the Hinsdale Station, 21 E. Hinsdale Ave., around 7 a.m.

"At this time we do not have any reason to believe this was a terrorist act, nor do we have any reason for this act," Hinsdale police said in a prepared statement.

"Shortly after 6:55 a.m., there was a 911 call indicating (what sounded like) a large firecracker in the main depot garbage can," said Thomas Ahern, a special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Train service along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line, where the station is located, was not affected, said Meg Reile, a Metra spokeswoman.

Right, and right, if one defines a ten minute delay to one train, and other trains boarding from the usual down platform rather than the usual up platform as "not affected."

On my first visit to England, I was puzzled by the absence of trash cans in train stations (sometimes one finishes coffee before the track is posted and one wants to get rid of it.) There was a reason for the trash cans being removed, and it wasn't "not terrorism."