I was listening to a song today named “Big Rock Candy Mountain”, of course about a hobo heading to the hobo promised land. It made me wonder, were hobos a big issue for the railroads in the past and are there any still hitching rides today? Or were the stories of hobos a little larger than life?
[:o)]
I don’t know if hobos were a big issue then. They would certainly be a liability today for sure. I don’t think there are many hobos due to the fact that freight trains don’t use as many boxcars as they used to. The boxcars used today are sealed shut until they reach their destination.
I was told by someone that if any railroad police officer catches a hobo, that they can do what they want to them. However, I never that statement much credibility.
In earlier times, when a hobo died, it was said that he was riding the WABASH CANNONBALL. I never knew until recently that the song is about the death of a hobo.
I’ve heard of hobos dying in boxcars trying to get into the country.another one perished while riding in a well car in winter going to chicago(frooze to death).Not anything I would encouarge anyone to do.
stay safe
joe
Despite the romantic image of a carefree vagabond, wandering the country with all his possessions bound up in a bandana tied to a stick carried over his shoulder, it can’t be an easy life.
Of late, adventurous yuppies have tried riding the rails (one or two have appeared on the forum). Some have returned from their adventure a bit poorer, having been robbed while “on the road.”
I would submit that most “hobos” of old fell into one of three categories - people down on their luck and looking for something better, people looking to get away from the world, and people hiding from the world. Most in the last group would likely also be criminals of one sort or another, running from the authorities.
I’m sure many of them met their maker as the result of a tumble off a train in a remote area, left for the wildlife, and never to be seen or heard of again.
Not a pleasant life.
Yes to all the above. But in reality the early part of the 20th Century and big depression of the 30s saw a large number of 'bos riding the rails and setting up camps near rail yards and major cities. Check the library and Google for some great stories and histories.
I remember seeing them riding trains in the 50’s. And met several around yards in Binghamton, NY into the 80s. Today, fewer places, relatively safe places, to ride on a train plus lots of good highways with lots and lots of trucks make hitchiking easier on the concrete and tar.
Mr. Wet blanket here. This is from our Forum Policies section of the board:
Since I ruffled some feathers, the last time I locked a thread that ( I felt ) was turning political, I’ll just mention the above. I’d ask that we keep this discussion civil, and don’t glamorize hobos.
Thanks
Norris user/moderator
I read alot of Jack London when I was a kid… he hoboed across the country and into Canada during his short but interesting life. When I was 17 I hoboed out to western Canada…2300 miles via boxcar… worked for the summer and then took the bus back. I can’t remember the bus trip but sure do recall those days on the tracks. Quite an adventure…(hobo rule number 1)… never get on and off a moving train unless you don’t value the use of your legs… Lots of other rules that can be broken at the hobo’s peril… such as staying away from any cargo that may topple or shift…learning how to brace yourself properly to protect yourself from slack… being smart about where you get on and off the train to avoid detection…making sure you have enough food…and especially water… with you…making sure you have some warm cover…it can get COLD at night even in the summer… Alot of commonsense stuff…but things can go badly wrong in a hurry…and when they do you’re on your own.
There are still quite a few hobos out there…some are alternative living people who are out there for adventure while most however are people who are down on their luck.
There is or was a group called the Rail Rders of America which may have started innocently enough but evolved into a loosely organized criminal gang. They became infamous for among other activities, assaulting and in a few cases murdering some of the “hobbyist” yuppie/ college kid hobos…
A & E did a documentary on hobos about 5 years ago, and it was their opinion that the vast majority of hobos are running from the law nowadays, driving out the old school crowd.
The family home was a block from the old C&A and a major street crossing a block north. Never knew for sure if the people that knocked on our back door were tramps, hobos, or escaped cons.
It was the height of the depression (early 30’s); not sure if the railroad was their form of conveyance (passing sidings both ways for the double tracked main) or from Route 66 which ran parallel; but Mom always made a sandwich for those that asked for food.
Wondered when first hearing ‘The Wabash Cannon Ball’, where did jungles exist in the US? Finding out about hobo camps being called Jungles cleared up everything.
They say that people were nicer to each other durintgthe Great Depression…I guess hard times does bring out the best in some. Your mom made sandwiches for some poorly dressed people who showed up at the door…that says it all. I don’t think that would ever happen in today’s world.
During the mid-60’s I attended the U of Mont in Missoula. Being a railfan all of my life and also an advernturous sort, I rode freights many times, mostly on the NP out of Missoula or the GN out of Libby. They were mostly WB toward Spokane or Seattle, but I rode to Helena a few times also. Was I scared of 'bo’s…a little, but I never, ever felt threatened or afraid. Once, out of Libby I rode the GN to Seattle and found every empty boxcar full of them…except one. It was a GN express box with the door inside, laying on the floor of all places, but devoid of anyone. I climbed inside…and had the worst ride I EVER had. The car was a rythmic bouncer, going in and out of bounce mode every few minutes. Smooth as a feather for a bit, then IT began. It was night and cool, and I was wrapped mummy-like in a blanket, but when IT started, it built up slowly until the bouncing was so bad I was airborn while laying down. Then it would slowly subside for a few minutes…then start again. I couldn’t keep the blanket under me and froze most of the way to Spokane. No wonder the car was empty!
On the way back I was in Hillyard in Seattle when a crew stopped by to talk, and informed me to take the 2nd train out EB, as the first was a local. I found the train…crammed full of migrants going to Wenachee to pick apples. There were a half dozen in each car, but I settled in and was never bothered. We spent several hours in Wenachee where everyone got off, then started on to Spokane about daybreak. We stopped at the top a a hill at Odessa (??) to set out about 40 reefers, and when the F’s coupled back up and started out, I knew there was trouble right away. the air wasn’t pumped off yet and the slack was coming back, slower and slower, until…POW! Emergency. We were there over an hour. Nice trip, but at 26 hours from Seattle to Spokane, it was not
Guys- I’m going to shut this thread. It goes against the forum rules that we, as moderators, are to be enforcing. Specifically this from MR’s forum policy page:
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