Train Hopping

I rode the rails for the first time this summer and it was awesome! I hopped out of Klamath Falls, Oregon to Roseville, California with a homeboy. My first ride was a gondola and the second was on the porch of a grainer. It beat the hell out of hitchhiking for me and I'm looking forward to riding more this summer. Anyone else ever ridden freight?

 

I would love to try this...

..but having known a fellow who lost both of his legs riding freight, I'm not about to risk it.

 

I'd like to give it a try, but friends who've done it say the security some yards hire is pretty violent.

 

Yes same here. I have been wanting to try this for quite some time. It would surely be a nice change from hitchiking. But im just unsure about the security and dont have enough knowledge yet.

 

Every day i have the urge to hop on a train. Theres a huge railyard in my town, and its relatively easy to get in there. Never seen security but theres no doubt they'd be there. One day.. One day.

By the way, any practical tips for freight hopping?

 

I know one colleague who did it for 2 years, must have done something right (?) He said there was every age group riding, i don't know where though. He was a rough looking character but a nice guy.

 

riding the rails is awsome. ive done it for about 10 years now. been all over us and canada. theres sercurity but just be aware and have commen sense. ive only been arrested once and that was in la. most of the time they just ask u to leave or give u a ticket. alot of times the dont even bother u. just keep a low profile youll be fine
good luck

 

Sounds good man thanks for the info! I'll be sure to try it this coming season

 

i train hopped from asheville to knoxville. i wasnt afraid tho. prob be more fun if i went with partner

 

Hey all-
I just finished reading this train hopping memoir, which I think is pretty new-

http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Miles-Freight-Train-ebook/dp/B00AXPRA8M

I stumbled onto it on amazon. You can only read it on a kindle or the computer, but my parents just bought me a kindle so that works for me. It was super escapist and a nice vacation from from my currently boring life... I really want to ride freight trains someday. Has anyone ridden trains and if so, what did you think of this memoir?

 

My old boss used to train hop. He told me that you had to watch out about being locked in if you let the door shut completely and your life will then depend on someone opening the door at some point, which might not happen. He heard of cases where people were locked in on purpose in refrigerator cars to freeze to death.

 

Anybody on here have an updated crew change guide? Mine's from 1996 so it isn't very relevant, any help would be appreciated.

 

any advice for a potential train hopper? And none of that "dont be an idiot" bull, i know perfectly well how dangerous and miserable it can be. Thanks

 

ne body know of ne trains that go from MN to CA? im looking to go to cali

 

I did it a few times years ago when I was in my late teens and early twenties. Hopped some trains in Ontario and BC. It can be dangerous so you have to be careful. Also, compared to hichhiking, you will get very dirty on trains. Here in Canada, most of the experienced train hoppers would get in the 3rd unit (engine) instead of a boxcar. The 3rd unit is used as a backup in case the first or second ones fail and it is usually cleaner than the boxcars.

 

great little doc

its called "train on the brain" ...search it if link dies again


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6mckmML0EM&list=PLpSLSV8-4mE36lINgrauK6T6N49PlOatM&index=1

 

You still want to train hop to Cali? I want to catch out my first time but I don't want to go alone and I really want to go to Cali anyways.

 

-Be careful falling asleep in an empty coal train. People have died after suffocating underneath a huge load of coal that was dumped on top of them.
-If you are riding boxcar, learn how to stake the door so it won't shut on you after the train shifts or brakes. People have died like that.
-If you are riding suicide, tie your backpack up and also tie your legs and arms to the side so if you start to nod off and the train shifts or brakes, you don't fall under and die. If you don't know what a suicide ride is, then don't even bother hopping unless you're with someone who knows.
-Always keep 3 points of contact. When a train shifts, the momentum can easily throw you off balance and in a split second....poof...you're gone.
-Don't hop on the fly (catch a moving train) unless you can count at least 3 of the nuts spinning on the wheel. If possible, only hop on/off stationary trains.
-Don't be seen. There are plenty of people whose sole method of getting around this country is freight and they don't need or want the added security that comes from starry eyed kids looking for a weekend adventure to brag to all their friends about getting caught and ruining it for everyone else.
-Don't ride drunk.
-Don't jerk off while riding trains....the train grease might give you a nasty rash/infection lol

Oh yea.....and most important - PLEASE DO NOT POST the CREW CHANGE ONLINE. the cc was/is never meant to be posted online for all to see. it's an underground publication that is circulated amongst riders. we don't law enforcement officers getting their hands on it....got it? the only way you can get a CC is from another rider, and they are tougher to get now so you are probably out of luck. the info on them changes every year anyways

 

As a freight conductor myself, I strongly urge restraint in train hopping. It is very dangerous, not to mention illegal. With terrorism being more and more of a concern, I would highly advise against it. There has been occasions where track workers have spotted people on my train and we were directed to stop and let the police search the train. Normally guys at work don't really care if you ride or not as long as you don't tear anything up. I've hauled probably 6 hobos in my 11 years at my job. So far no bad experiences. Times are changing though, and you should reconsider riding these trains. I'd hate to hurt someone I didn't know was on the train.