#: 5022 S1/General 25-Jun-89 13:28:34 Sb: Freight Riding Fm: Jim Speth 71456,405 To: All I have recently become interested in the riding of freight trains by hobos and other people. I found that there is not very much information available on this subject. If anyone knows any general info or specific details on how to ride freight trains, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. -Jim Speth #: 5061 S1/General 26-Jun-89 21:04:59 Sb: #5046-#Freight Riding Fm: Keir Jones 71160,2217 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 (X) The legal action can vary from forceful expulsion to prosecution. Train information travels through the grapevine. Keir * Reply: 5072 #: 5072 S1/General 27-Jun-89 00:44:54 Sb: #5061-#Freight Riding Fm: Jim Speth 71456,405 To: Keir Jones 71160,2217 (X) I imagine it varies alot from place to place... but it seems as if that doesn't matter very much. Although its illegal it is a very harmless (even victimless) crime, and I doubt the penalties could be too harsh. Well, thanks for the response... Has anyone out there actually done it themselves??? It would be really interesting to talk to a real veteran.... Bye, -Jim * Reply: 5075 #: 5075 S1/General 27-Jun-89 02:31:19 Sb: #5072-#Freight Riding Fm: Keir Jones 71160,2217 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 (X) One of my friends rode SP to the Bay area. He was riding in a new car on an auto carrier when the train derailed and several auto carriers were destroyed. He had done it before and had been caught once. All they did was shove him out of the gate. (This was a few years ago.) ...Keir * Replies: 5085, 5088 #: 5085 S1/General 27-Jun-89 10:47:25 Sb: #5075-Freight Riding Fm: Jim Speth 71456,405 To: Keir Jones 71160,2217 (X) Keir- I'm really sorry to hear about your friend. The more I hear about riding freights, the more dangerous it seems. -Jim #: 5088 S1/General 27-Jun-89 12:37:42 Sb: #5075-#Freight Riding Fm: Jeff Kucsma (Models) 71310,417 To: Keir Jones 71160,2217 (X) I have a feelin' that if ya try that back East, they're gonna shove ya in the pokey. * Reply: 5090 #: 5090 S1/General 27-Jun-89 14:23:53 Sb: #5088-Freight Riding Fm: Keir Jones 71160,2217 To: Jeff Kucsma (Models) 71310,417 (X) Could be. Here the jails are overcrowded anyway. ...Keir #: 5111 S1/General 27-Jun-89 23:29:28 Sb: #5085-#Freight Riding Fm: Jim Maurer 73537,1405 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 (X) The San Jose Mercury-News had a small item today about someone who was riding on an SP freight, apparently tried to get off the train while it was still moving, and lost several limbs! Also, about 2 years ago one hobo killed another one in the Feather River canyon on the UP and shoved the body off the train. These are just a few recent examples of things that can happen. Other dangers include getting squished by a shifting load or being on board during a derailment. I think I'll stick to riding Amtrak or commuter trains, or in the cab or caboose of a freight, with permission. Jim Maurer * Reply: 5135 #: 5135 S1/General 28-Jun-89 21:26:44 Sb: #5111-Freight Riding Fm: Jim Speth 71456,405 To: Jim Maurer 73537,1405 It is undoubtedly a dangerous venture. It would be foolish to think that riding freights is in any way safe. However it seems that there is so much more to be gained from freights than there is from passenger cars. If the risks are acceptable to you, the advantages could be great. There is more to it than just getting a free ride. People I have talked to say that it is a feeling of complete freedom, one that can't be found in while tied down with a job. -Jim #: 5117 S15/Railfans 28-Jun-89 00:26:11 Sb: #Freight Riding Fm: George Payne 73137,1616 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 (X) Regarding freight trains...besides the obvious of illegal and dangerous I remember an article in some rail (industry) magazine earlier this year about the some railroad or another finding the body of a writer in a gondola of pipe which had shifted. Seems the guy was setting out, complete with credit cards, etc., to write an article about "riding the rails..." I can't over emphasize the dangers. g.f.payne * Reply: 5137 #: 5137 S15/Railfans 28-Jun-89 21:33:11 Sb: #5117-Freight Riding Fm: Jim Speth 71456,405 To: George Payne 73137,1616 A really well done article of the same type (but written by a survivor) can be found in this month's issue of Harper's Magazine. The author, Bruce Duffy, rode the rails with two veteran hobos from Iowa to Washington. It turns out there is a group called the National Hobo Association (World Way Center Box 90430, LA, CA 90009) that was started to preserve the image and tradition of the American hobo. They put out some interesting literature including a Hobo Travel Guide. If you're interested I really suggest you drop them a letter. Bye, -Jim #: 5142 S1/General 29-Jun-89 00:33:39 Sb: Freight Riding Fm: Bill Havrilla (Photos) 75176,574 To: [F] Jim Speth 71456,405 Jim, besides it being outright against the law in all states, it carries a 5/5 tag for the offense (5 yrs/$5,000 fine). I really don't know of any road that won't prosecute for even the first offense. As others have mentioned, it's downright unhealthy, either from the standpoint of equip- ment danger, or bodily assault from others less inclined to be so "esoteric" about it or more seasoned "veterans". I really don't think you want to be anywhere near a derailment where a chlorine tanker or ethylene dichloride or methyl acetate is leaking...not to mention any of a thousand other items carried on today's roads. Besides, remember a couple of years ago when a carload of illegal immigrants got trapped in a boxcar down in Texas and roasted to death? All it'd take is some yard forman seeing a door slightly ajar while you were sleeping inside going by and securing it on you...cook your goose real fast. Take up another something else...like sneaking into airplane cargo holds - be a lot safer and you'd get to see even nicer places. #: 5165 S15/Railfans 29-Jun-89 04:57:36 Sb: #5137-Freight Riding Fm: Dave Snowden 70376,616 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 Try your local PBS affiliate! (Public Broadcasting Station). I have seen an article about a yearly Hobo's Reunion in the midwest, possibly in Iowa! The show ran about 30 or 60 minutes and including interviews with several hobos. ALSO, check with your local PBS affiliate. There are several Railroad shows that return from time to time. One is "Railway Journeys of the World or Around the World". Another is hosted by Michael Palin or Eric Idle of Monty Python fame. Also, in one of the episodes of "History of the English Language", a sequence was shot in Chama, New Mexico, using a mixed train of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR which was originally a part of the Denver & Rio Grande Narrow Guage!!! They did the filming in May, 1985 using pax cars and a couple of the old Rio Grande box cars which are not used anymore!!! #: 5172 S1/General 29-Jun-89 17:22:12 Sb: #5022-Freight Riding Fm: Art Gentry 76174,2403 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 Jim, the one and only information I'll give on riding frieghts is DON'T!!! It may look like fun, it may appear safe and even today, it may still seem romantic. BUT, it IS damn dangerous AND illegal! I remember a story not too long ago about an author that hopped a freight to do a story and was crushed by a shifting load. There are forever stories in the press about train crews discovering a mangled body in a/on/under/within a car. The thing most people forget is freights do not typicaly have the nice slow starts and stops of passenger train, the slack action alone is enough to break a great many bones and cause internal body parts to shift to where they don't belong! Also, when was the last time you saw a passenger car go over a hump? What do you suppose the G forces are when that humped car meets another down in the bowl? If you really want to find out what it's like to ride a freight, join a local operating museum and help them out. Bottom line is, at least you could get arrested, at worst you could get killed. #: 5298 S1/General 04-Jul-89 01:07:52 Sb: #5022-Freight Riding Fm: Joe Torsitano 73337,3273 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 I know that the first time hobo who survived the wreck near Winnemucca, NV, said on the TV news he was never doin' that again! Said something about going back to being an English teacher for the homeless in San Francisco. Joe Torsitano #: 5302 S1/General 04-Jul-89 02:59:06 Sb: #5022-Freight Riding Fm: Jerry O'Neill/Roch.NY 76702,545 To: Jim Speth 71456,405 Hi, Jim -- In addition to the Harper's article you mentioned, you might want to look for a book titled GOOD COMPANY by Douglas A. Harper University of Chicago Press, 1982 ISBN: 0-226-31686-6 (That should be enough info to locate it in a good library or get it thru interlibrary loan.) It's text plus lots of photos, the story of a month that he spent with "railroad tramps," both on trains and in hobo jungles. Good book! What kind of information are you looking for, exactly? In your local public library, have you tried looking in the READERS GUIDE TO PERIODICAL LITERATURE under headings like "Trains" "Hobos" and "Tramps" ? You could find some references to magazine articles that way... If you're interested in pursuing the subject in depth, you can probably find some interesting info in books and journals about sociology. A helpful research librarian in a good-size university library would probably provide a lot of help... (In the ones I'm familiar with, they _don't_ require you to be a student to get info... only if you want to check out books. And at state universities, I think they pretty much try to provide help to the general public as well as to students.) Best of luck! -- Jerry #: 5414 S15/Railfans 08-Jul-89 05:25:43 Sb: More Freight Riding Fm: Dorr Altizer, Sysop 76702,402 To: All Railfans This is a forwarded message from Russell L. Crump [73077,2356], who is currently a Clearance Engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad. Russ uploaded this as a file, but I'm moving it here to the message base so it gets maximum exposure. Read and Heed!! As an employee of the Santa Fe, I'd like to make these comments. Railroad trespassers are one of the largest catagories of those killed on railroad property. Railroad property is no play ground. It is a very dangerous place, particularly for those who do not understand the safety rules and how to act around moving equipment. It is very easy to lose your legs getting on and off moving equipment. The forces involved in slack action are tremendous, and loads are secured to absorb these forces by moving. As pointed out, it's very easy to be crushed by shifting loads! The Santa Fe prosecutes trespassers for their own safety.