Anyone ever try it? Heard it's a great way to see the country. Apparently CSX slows down towards Woodbridge making for easy hopping up and down the east coast. You also meet some really cool and interesting people in the "hobo jungles." Anyways warm weather is right around the corner. Any takers?

hobo Wrote:
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> You also meet some really cool and
> interesting people

Like the railroad police? Since no one really robs trains anymore, all those guys do is spend their time trying to catch graffiti writers and hobos.
And when they do, they'll beat the shit out of you.

Also, hobos are different these days. I wouldn't expect them to be much friendlier to you than the bulls would be.

I remember when we were younger we would throw rocks at freight trains. Not to do damage but just because we were kids. Also we had this stash of dirty magazines next to the railroad tracks and every time the train would go by we would hold up the Hustler centerfolds for all of the conductors to see.

Railroads don't usually leave empty boxcar doors open anymore, so where you gonna ride?

When I was growing up we used to hop local freights by grabbing the ladders on the last car of the train and ride them for maybe a half mile or so before jumping off, but that was only for a few minutes at jogging speed. If you didn't get off the train before it started speeding up your ass was grass. "Hello, dad, yeah...I'm in East Bumfuck and I need you to drive out here and pick me up. Also, the policeman wants to talk to you."

If you were really dumb you hopped the train in the middle somewhere, which is a good way to get cut in half if you slip off. We were stupid but most of us weren't that stupid. Putting pennies on the track was common.

As for throwing rocks at the train, it was a local branch line and the conductor would actually stop the train and come after your ass if he spotted you throwing things or trying to hop on. No cell phones yet, though, and you could be lost in the woods long before the cops got anywhere near the place.

My father freight-hopped back when he was, like 17+ or so. He had LOTS of stories about that, many involving Sweet Young Things, some involving "hobo signs", etc.

Not sure why he left home to do it, but he eventually ended up back there again (somewhere in Illinois, I think).

Early 1930s, BTW...