Freight Train Riders of America

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I was watching a documentary on cable last night about this group, and was first and foremost fascinated by the (claimed) notoriety of a group I had never even heard of before.

Many on the show were trying to give the group credit for being a “hobo mafia” of sorts, having a misty back bone of origanization sufficient that planned executions are commissioned and carried out.

While others, noteably a higher up with Union Pacific’s internal police seemed to think they were more along the lines of gossipy wino’s with vivid imaginations and over inflated ego’s.

What do ya’ll think about this group? Is this where the “Trainfinder22’s” and the “Kissmycaboose’s” come from? Or is this group really as heavy duty as the folks trying to sell their books make them out to be?

2

FTRA made headlines ten or so years ago when there was a surge in yuppie hoboes who were putting themselves at risk by taking their laptops and sleeping bags along for a whimsical freight train ride. Special agents and law enforcement in general warned these naive folks that there were very bad and dangerous people riding the rails now, much worse than the 'boes of folklore and cinema.

3

Most of this goes back to the so-called romanticism of “riding the rails” in the past, which was never what it’s made out to be. Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.

4

AG- I’d seen this documentary before but caught some of it again last night. I’m unsure myself as to the truth of the notoriety of the group but there seems to be some decent documentation as to the existence of the group. Still, the “hobo” life would lend itself to those who might be running from the law and the occurrences that are referred to in the documentary while perturbing are actually within the scope of reality. I mean Dahmer lived an in a pretty well populated area of Milwaukee and managed to keep his disgusting habits secret for quite awhile. Does it mean that every member is a criminal? Highly unlikely. It seems that the cops in Spokane got the main culprit, Robert Silveria, but it doesn’t mean there can’t or won’t be others. Still I think there is a lot of hidden information on the topic. It definitely is interesting if nothing else.

Here are some interesting links about the FTRA courtesy of Google:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_Train_Riders_of_America
http://www.truecrimeink.com/csoon006.htm
http://www.northbankfred.com/two.htmlhttp://www.mainchance.org/upward/read/october2002/train.html
http://milepost1147.2.railfan.net/pages/stories/Article009.html

Also, ironically there is a band that goes by the same name.

A lot of people don’t believe there is anything to the story, these guys are just an urban legend. I don’t know for certain myself as I’ve never been train hopping (and never plan to) nor have I had any encounters with any FTRA members. Still I’m reminded of the line from the Usual Suspects:
“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”

I’d love to hear other’s thoughts on this, too.

Mike

5

I saw a couple of them pop out of a boxcar on a WB UPRR train @ Daggett while it was waiting for the signal to join the BNSF main. It was a repeat show I saw it several months ago [:)]

[quote]
Originally posted by TheAntiGates

6

Just ask Ed Blysard about his encounter with yuppie hoboes in Houston. Excellent story and very informaitve about who is riding and the dangers of riding. And they probably thought that Ed and his bosses where the worst thing they had to worry about. [;)]

Mike

7

Eds story made me laugh so hard I wet myself, I saved it in my humor files at home, if he gives permission, I’ll repost it later unless Ed can find it and repost it.

Some FTRA members are types you do not want to mess around with, real bad -a$$es. No glamour.

Deadtrainbums.com had all the reasons NOT to hop trains posted graphicly on its website but its gone now.

8

Yeah, that closely paralleled my thoughts as well. A “desperado” running from his deeds on the rails (a fugitive from justice, in other words) might very well rob and murder naive thrill seekers who have squeeky clean bed rolls, a ghetto blaster, and money in their pocket…but THAT is a ROBBERY, not a “mob hit”

It’s the level of organization of this so called ‘hobo mafia’ that I call into question.

If such a group actually exists, then a potential threat to rail fans exists…aka ‘don’t go near the rails, or ya might not make it back’…etc.

My personal bet is that there were probably a couple hard cases on the lam who did some dirty deeds, and rumor and romanticism have grown the story larger than life.

It would be interesting if any of the actual railroaders here have ever encountered some of these guys.

9

RE Yuppie riders…OK I have to repost this…this is Ed’s story, in his own words, reprinted unabridged from a past topic…

Yes, Altonfan/Dan,
We do run into them sometimes.

Last time, found three young men, late 20s early 30s, inside a rotory dump car/Bethgon in from the UP.

Bad choice of train on their part, it was supposed to go Englewood hump yard, in Houston, but last minute was diverted to PTRA at the ship channel.

Found them while walking back to make a switch cut, heard one of them talking on his phone to his lady, was complaining about the smell of all things.

Decided to have a little fun, I am that mean.

Stepped back enough so they wouldnt hear my radio, told my engineer to wait ten seconds, then pull the slack as hard as he dared.
Rail walked to the end of their car, heard the slack comming, pulled the pin, and waited.

When 40 empty cars get jerked into motion at notch 7 or 8, what ever is not tied down wishes it was!
We rattled them around as hard as we could.

My helper was at the main switch, I called him and my hogger, clued them in, so when we had to stop and shove back, they wouldnt waste any time.
They picked me up at the crossing, by now, we had called the gumshoes, they were waiting down in the yard.

Helper had caught on the car behind theirs, I caught on behind that one, and we let our hogger have all the fun he could think of, slack in, slack out, hammering frogs and the big curve that leads to our switching lead proper.

If you have ever see the inside of a bethgon, there is nothing to hold on to except a few thin cross supports, the bottom is two round tubs the length of the car, sorta like riding inside a big 55 gallon drum.

Got to the lead, and we did a double tap, (the old heads here know exactly what I mean,) and that gon was away like a

10

LOL!..so true.

11

AG-
I kinda thought of it in terms of mob or gang style territory. If said “hobo mafia” did/does exist I think it likely they view anyone not part of the gang as moving in on their turf. If that person didn’t fall for the intimidation tactics, then they might have to teach them a lesson and so on. That could get real out of hand real quick. I don’t think railfans would be much of a concern unless they witnessed something they shouldn’t have.

I’d also like to hear some accounts by the railroaders.

Mike

12

I love that story. Lots of laughs but still a serious message.

Mike

13

Ed,

You should be ashamed of your behavior. Yes, there could have been serious injury or even death and you should know that. I hope you never get the opportunity to try the stunt again.

14

This group has been around in some form for about 25 years now. As said before, stay away from this group in its current form.

15

Ed, LMAO!!! Thats great. I was just about to ask if any engineers had ever done that.
You shoulda stood next to the car and been like “About 3 cars to the coal loader, lets fill’er up good, over”
Arbfbe, There was really no danger of death. Having been banged around in a baggage car pretty good…

16

Arbfbe,
Ed would not have put himself in a position where any of the folks would’ve received anything more than a bruise. He knew in this situation full well what would happen. These guys are lucky that the gondola didn’t go to a coal flooder first. As coborn said, there was really no danger of death from what Ed did. Besides, why would Ed want to do anything to hurt them? It would be more trouble than its worth for him.

Not that it gives a railroad free reign to treat stowaways however they want, but lets remember these guys were tresspassing and they knew it. Sometimes you just have to touch the burner to learn it’ll burn you too. As Ed says, most of these guys learned their lesson. Mr. Cellphone might be a different story.

Mike

17

By all means, please be my guest and post it…
And please, dont try to hop a train for the fun of it, dangerous, and deadly way to try to have fun…who knows, you might run into a conductor like me!

Ed

18

So, if you ran into 2 toothless doofs in a “hobo jungle” claming to be members of this outfit…would your first inclination be to believe their claim, or would you suspect they were just trying to act tough?

19

There is always danger of death and injury on or near the railroad. Being bounced around inside a freight car ranks right up there with high risk activities.

No, I have not been bounced around in a baggage car but I have been roughed up in a caboose a time or two.

Ed’s alleged self confessed behavior goes against the norms of common decency. Those of you who are getting a big laugh about this need to grow up. Human beings are amazingly resiliant and incredibly fragile. Risk of injury to others for your own amusement or to teach someone a ‘lesson’ is just cruel. Since, I believe, there is still a Constitutional ban against cruel and unusual punishment it is also illegal. How would you defend youself in court if one of the tresspassers had been injured and sued your pants off?

Railroading can be fun but it is not a game. Be sure to include the yuppie hobo story as presented here in your next job application with a railroad should you need to submit one. That will save a lot of wasted interview time.

FTRA for real? I don’t know for sure but I did see a body alongside the tracks with all th

20

First Let me say that Ed’s story was Hilarious!! [:D][(-D][(-D] I nearly fell on the ground laughing.

I agree with you here Mike, these suposedly (spelling) grown “mature” men needed to be tought a lesson or reminded as to actually how dangerious it is to hop freights, or any other train. I still can’t get over the fact that these men were doing it for fun as a matcho thing. I think all of them needed serious reality checks or help. What Ed did to them serves them right, and if I were in his position I would of done the same, if I had thought of it. Some people just don’t have a clue; were some people might end up getting a clue through their mistakes others won’t. Sad but true.