Anybody here ever hopped trains before?

who dat is · May 14, 2014

I've never done it but have met people who have and also have a friend who has done it in the past throughout his travels. It has been in the back of my mind for several years now and would definitely like to give it a try sometime. I'm still shady on the best practices on how to do it, tips and tricks, what to look out for, etc. Anybody on here ever done it and know the low down?

http://hitchwiki.org/en/Train_hopping

HidingInTheHaze · May 14, 2014

If you decide to do it you'll need a hobo stick, a smashed up old cigar and a pair of dress shoes with a hole where your toe pokes thru, gotta look the part.

saluki · May 14, 2014

HidingInTheHaze said:
If you decide to do it you'll need a hobo stick, a smashed up old cigar and a pair of dress shoes with a hole where your toe pokes thru, gotta look the part.

Lmao, caress a old potato like it's your most precious belonging.

Honestly it sounds like an exciting but potentially dangerous idea. I wish you the best of luck if you do decide to do it.

Sisu · May 14, 2014

My grandfather hopped trains and went looking for work in the 1930s. When I look at his offspring, I wonder wtf he ever came back, seriously.

Gry · May 14, 2014

nope the opportunity was not there for me when the time was right. When I was a kid there was a train that ran near a buddy's house , it was slow , but we were just kids and not quite up to it yet . Can recall putting coins on the track and shooting bags of mulch on the train with a bow and arrow . Somehow the next memory that pops up was riding along that same path on a minibike right after they had pulled the rails up. Thinking back on it , I would imagine that had that train run just a few years longer we would have to had taken that ride.

Betterhaff · May 14, 2014

Sisu said:
My grandfather hopped trains and went looking for work in the 1930s. When I look at his offspring, I wonder wtf he ever came back, seriously.

Lol…aren’t you part of the family tree? (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

I’ve hopped trains. Word of advice, have an idea of where the train is heading. You can hop on and then it picks up speed making it harder to get off. It may be a while until you’re able to get off and if you’re not sure where you’re heading you could end in the wrong place far far away.

Sisu · May 14, 2014

Betterhaff said:
Lol…aren’t you part of the family tree? (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

I’ve hopped trains. Word of advice, have an idea of where the train is heading. You can hop on and then it picks up speed making it harder to get off. It may be a while until you’re able to get off and if you’re not sure where you’re heading you could end in the wrong place far far away.

Nope, mix-up at the hospital explains it all :biggrin:

D. B. Doober · May 14, 2014

I've thought about it but found out its a felony to even open the door on a train car. Serious trouble

Bud Green · May 14, 2014

I hopped a CN freight train in '71, when I was a teenager, with 3 buddies. Rode it more than 500 miles.
We looked in a box car while they were hooking the train up in the rail yard. I said "Too fuckin dirty for me". We hopped on the 3rd engine at 6 am and got off in Calgary at midnight...
Long story short, it was an experience I'm glad I had, but I wouldn't recommend it to young man today.. Lots of danger then, probably lots more now.

chuckyoufarley · May 14, 2014

ive done it with my brother on a few freights a few times back in the 70's we would hope on in town where the train had to slow down but only taveled to vermont from newbugh ny so not very far but man was it fun we were 15 i think

Bud Green · May 14, 2014

chuckyoufarley said:
ive done it with my brother on a few freights a few times back in the 70's we would hope on in town where the train had to slow down but only taveled to vermont from newbugh ny so not very far but man was it fun we were 15 i think

yeah, it was LOTS of fun, but when i think about if the "bulls" had caught us, they woulda been laughing
as they beat the shit out of 4 long-haired punk teenagers...

Captain Ginyu · May 14, 2014

Hobos are a near if not extinct species today; there are a number of reasons...

Trains today are much faster, and most of the newer design cars are locked tight, with nowhere to hide or shelter. Also, the DHS & NTSB have had a field day in posting armed goons, security, cameras, you name it, all over the damn place. Better luck hitch-hiking I guess.

HidingInTheHaze · May 15, 2014

Captain Ginyu said:
Hobos are a near if not extinct species today; there are a number of reasons...

BRING BACK THE HOBO!

Sponsor your local hobo today, lets not let this breed die out.

Just 50 cents a day can provide your local hobo with a barrel for fires and a bottle of cheap whiskey.

Bob Loblaw · May 15, 2014

I would have to disagree. Although hobos going town to town looking for work may be a dying breed. Freight hopping is still do-able. I know a guy who use to travel to florida keys every fall and stay all winter. This would be from the NY PA area. I would advice to stay clear of the very large train yards and famialiarize yourself in more low key hubs. LA and Chicago are on lock but surrounding areas such as san bern. Reno, st louis, indiana, rural illinois, wisconsin all easily done.. Plenty of old designed trains to ride. Open top trash cars. (empty) are ideal for long hauls. Most gray hoppers have a cubby area with a man size hole to crawl into. Its by the knuckle and ladder where the trains connect. Also seen a hand written hobo travel guide that the hardcore hoppers pass along to one another. Has maps and detailed notes..very cool. There might be some thumbs up vidoes online of david choe traveling by freight before he became uber famous.

noyd666 · May 15, 2014

yes three of us dossed down in a empty freight wagon one night hoping it was going about 500 miles to another state when they all hooked up wagons to diesel engine. we was young an finishing up on the grape picking, anyhow next thing in morning we're flying from one end of of car to the other lol, to be young again , anyway we finished up only about 120 miles up the track slowing down to a outback town we got off, they were only dropping off empty cars along towns. they knew we were on it cause we all standing up waving to the cars on highway lol, true. would not get away with it now= maybe,still some adventurous young bloods out there.

devilgoob · May 15, 2014

I have.

I just got all the way to the other side of the city, where I needed to go.

who dat is · May 15, 2014

Thanks for chiming in y'all, I'm kind of surprised by the amount of responses. While it would be cool to take a joy ride on one across town I was thinking more along the lines of extended travel for a couple hundred miles. The people I've spoken to have mentioned characters that are well known within those circles, hobo heroes. This one character in particular had a nickname but I've since forgotten it. Also of spots alongside the tracks to hang out and wait for the trains to come by. Hobos are also very much alive and well. The gypsy travelers have a certain look to them. I've couch surfed and lived out of my car for several months and this is more of a hairball extreme version of this for me I guess.

who dat is · May 15, 2014

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Railway-renegades-Despite-the-real-perils-2501223.php

"I was a tramp, see. I wasn't looking for work, just enough money to get a steak and move on. A hobo works and wanders, a tramp dreams and wanders, and a bum drinks and wanders."

damitrius777 · May 15, 2014

i jumped on one in las vegas in 81 or so to go to the first us festival in draper cali i think is was.i got on a empty flat bed car,about shook my liver loose.any how the train started slowing down about 6 miles from the concert ,we were peeing off the side of the car ,then the train stopped and a car came rolling down a dirt road next to the train and for big guys got out andtook our names and said we dont give rides for free threatingto put us in jail next time and let us go.got picked up by some hippy tipes in a van who gave us a ride to concert and some acid,fun 3 dayes ill say. dont forget to bring water on train with you.

nickman · May 15, 2014

I've done it when I was a teenager with some friends... The only problem is they pick up speed fast... Me and one of my good friends both got drug by the train while trying to get back off... We weren't hurt bad... Cuts and bruises... We were young and we would do it a lot but only for a couple minutes... Only for fun ...

Anybody here ever hopped trains before?

Cave Dweller

Active member

Active member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Boston, MA

I dig dirt

Well-known member

I dig dirt

Member

Active member

Member

noyd666

Active member

Cave Dweller

Cave Dweller

Member

Active member