The last number of times I have been train watching the one thing that occurs to me is that it has been a number of years since I have seen any illegal riders.
Years ago I spent much time along the upper Mississippi River and seeing riders was common, even on pig trains. I saw people huddled in among the semi-trailer tires trying to stay out of the rain.
Has railroad security countrywide cracked down to the point where people do not even try to get into yards and ride anymore?
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Trains on my territory are stopped about weekly to have trespassing riders removed from trains.
When I rode back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, nobody bothered you. If you didn’t break into boxcars or truck trailers, stayed out of sight and basically didn’t act the fool the railroad police would leave you alone. I actually had railroad employees help me find an empty boxcar, or direct me to a train going in the right direction. I recall walking into the yard office in Klamath Falls, Oregon, asking about the next train to California, the guy didn’t hesitate, pointed me to the correct train. Talk about service! The friendly SP! I think railroads now have a zero tolerance to train riders.
Gee, I don’t know why railroads would be intolerant of people riding trains.
Jeff
In the early 80s train crews allowed me to ride with them on the locomotive… no one ever said no although the yard master or who ever was in charge made me sign a waiver. In those days all one had to do was ask… no need to ride illegally on boxcars, and some of the crews were more than happy for the added company. Not only that… they always bought me lunch or supper at the other end and wouldn’t hear of me paying for theirs… great people and perhaps more innocent times.
Would society tolerate people trying to ride in or underneath dump trucks or van trailers, on flat trailers or tank trailers, or other highway trucks ?
Would society tolerate people trying to hide to ride in or on ferries, barges, ships, or other large craft ?
Would society tolerate people trying to hide to ride in or on any kind of passenger or freight airplanes ?
How about your personal car, RV, boat trailer, camper, etc. ?
As we used to say out on the road, “screw society”.
My thought the underlying nature of today’s “off the record” traveler is a bit more sinister than it was, say, fifty years ago.
I’m not sure the riders of old were any less sinister, with the possible exception of those who were simply down on their luck and looking to get somewhere where they might find a job.
I would opine that there are two main classes of “travellers” these days - those who wish to travel off the record, and those who are looking for a free ride/adventure.
It’s been mentioned here before that occasionally when the two meet the results aren’t pretty.
Now there are more unit trains and they often do not have any place for people to ride.
Many trains only stop at railyards that are heavily watched.
Good points. Fewer rider-freindly car types; longer, fewer trains, that dont have to stop for meets/water/coal every other station, many fewer start/finish points.
I fail to see what this has to do with riding freight trains. As far as the poverty issue goes, the US provides little or nothing to it’s citizens, which is quite contrary to how you feel. I rode lots of freights in Montana, Idaho, and Wahington in the 60’s while attending the university. I did find other riders – one train out of Interbay yard of the GN was PACKED with migrants going to Wenachee for the apple harvest. Every empty car had anywhere from 5-10 men in it, but leaving Wenachee the train was empty.
I’m now a retired expat living in Italy, a place that 16-567D3a would loath. The FLOOD of immigrants out of Africa gets food, water, shelter, medical help, and even a subsidy, something this guy thinks is barbaric. Appearently caring for one’s neighbor borders on insanity as all Americans want to do is throw them all out and give them nothing. What a deal.
Anyway, I digress. Riding freights now is a LOT different than back then, mostly because of the rolling stock, coupled with the probability of arrest. Box cars had sliding doors, now what box cars there are have plug doors. There are no roof walks anymore. Well cars do not have a floor. The list goes on and on.
I just relish my ride over Lookout Pass, both i
Amen to that. Like riding from Shelby to Whitefish, Montana over the Rockies in an ancient GN wooden boxcar, a slow ride from Wishram, Washington to Klamath Falls, Oregon down the “inside Gateway” (rare mileage!), or sadly, passing on the opportunity of riding the Modoc Line out to Winnemucca, Nevada. Good times.
Also remember that it doesn’t take too much to become an amputee or a fatality on such rides.
There are people who ride freights that seem to not worry about anything including the significant danger of getting hurt, killed, or busted. It is sort of an underground culture that is totally outside of normal civilized living and lifestyle values. The trains are a symbol of a deeper meaning of freedom to these people.
Here is a guy who is from Canada and hops freights up there. He also travels to foreign countries to ride freights. Below, is a video preview of his freight hopping adventure in Brazil. This is short, but the full video is also on line. I must advise a language alert for the full version video, but I think most people can handle it. The longer video also has him waxing quite philosophical in parts about such things as the illusion of time, and life itself being an illusion arising from a deeper source. Also, his political philosophy is quite obvious. And his rising intonation on ever other sentence drives me crazy. The video also jumps back and forth between Brazil and Canada. But overall, I find it to be quite interesting.
Much of South America is gritty and dangerous. This guy and his partner are quite aware of the danger as they make their way around the slums of Rio. The trains are also gritty and drab in typical South American way. I went down there once to ride and photograph the trains, and can certainly relate to that pervasive sense of danger in that society.
You really hate any one who is just not the same as you are, don’t you? Mr. wonderful, perfect, American!
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The past was rarely the way we remember it.
Miserable circumstances get molded by time into fond memories.