/out/ - Outdoors » Thread #199085

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Anonymous Thu 19 Sep 2013 14:24:28 No.199085 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>202167 >>209479 >>212920

Anyone have any good train hopping advice or general strategies so as to not get lost in some far away town, besides knowing the schedules?
Also, do you guys bring a big pack with lots of food or do you get off at each stop to hunt or head to a store if available?
I've seen several of these threads and it's gotten me extremely interested in it. It sounds like something you just have to see with your own eyes to experience.

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI Thu 19 Sep 2013 16:11:45 No.199107 Report

Quoted By: >>199122

>Anyone have any good train hopping advice or general strategies so as to not get lost in some far away town, besides knowing the schedules?
If you're in the western US, it's pretty easy because rail lines are relatively sparse compared to the east. Just look at a map and see what towns are on the route.

>do you guys bring a big pack with lots of food or do you get
Always bring a pack like you would any other adventure where you're going someplace cut off from civilization. depending on various circumstances your train could take a long time to get somewhere, and or you could side out in the woods for hours or days. once on a solo trip i made the mistake of not getting food and water before hopping out and was lucky that it was only 18 hours between my hopping point and portland, and that it was a cool day.

>I've seen several of these threads and it's gotten me extremely interested in it. It sounds like something you just have to see with your own eyes to experience
This is true but also don't be a dumbass.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 19 Sep 2013 17:02:15 No.199122 Report

Quoted By: >>199152

>>199107
Thank you. That's extremely helpful :)

I live in the northern midwest, more specifically upper michigan so it's not much of a train place where I am, but there is an ore dock that I could maybe hop the train back, but that seems dangerous with those kind of cargo cars.

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI Thu 19 Sep 2013 18:51:57 No.199152 Report

Quoted By:

>>199122
I've never seen an ore train but i'm guessing they either ship the stuff in open hoppers like coal or in flat bottom gondolas. these are both relatively rideable but i'd be careful to not get on one so full that i couldn't ride without being seen and get off before it goes to a foundry. a couple years ago two kids made the news because they were riding in a coal hopper when it stopped to drop it's payload and got sucked down & crushed.

Pinzfag

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Pinzfag Fri 20 Sep 2013 12:00:50 No.199421 Report

Quoted By: >>199540

Is that shasta in OP?

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI Fri 20 Sep 2013 17:49:55 No.199540 Report

Quoted By: >>199546 >>199555 >>199845

>>199421
it is. The siskiyou run is a lot of fun. Video related.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r35dGQSnMtw&feature=share&list=FLFmO7MxBU5SDz-kiRTQLlBA

Pinzfag

Pinzfag Fri 20 Sep 2013 18:10:50 No.199546 Report

Quoted By: >>199575

>>199540
Is that your channel? good stuff.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 20 Sep 2013 18:43:05 No.199555 Report

Quoted By: >>199575

>>199540
do you have an email or a skype, i have alot of questions lol

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 20 Sep 2013 19:43:15 No.199572 Report

Quoted By: >>199579

never understood trainhopping, if you want to see america on a train why not just get a job running a train? then you get paid to do what you love
is it just the concept of being a NEET?

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 20 Sep 2013 19:44:53 No.199573 Report

Quoted By: >>211651

i remember seeing an article once of 2 kids riding in a train car and getting a load of coal dumped on them killing them instantly
tl;dr be careful

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI Fri 20 Sep 2013 19:49:11 No.199575 Report

Quoted By: >>199578

>>199546
not mine.
>>199555
yeah but you should just ask them here.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 20 Sep 2013 19:53:14 No.199578 Report

Quoted By: >>199582

>>199575
its kind of personal, and theres a lot of them ill ask my main ones, if later you could leave me a throwaway skype or email id appreciate it. wheres the best place on a train to stay, how do you avoid the workers, whats best time of day to hop on one, how do you get off and where, and chances of being caught + the punishment, and trainhopping in new england general i guess. and also what about the winter do you just dress alot warmer etc.

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI Fri 20 Sep 2013 19:54:50 No.199579 Report

Quoted By:

>>199572
Because the railroad industry is not all that large. It's incredibly hard to find work in yards even. Then it takes several years, if you even have the chance, to work into a conductor/engineer position. And once you're in that position, it's not like the get to roam all over the country. You generally have 1 specific run you do. American labor law prohibits the operating of commercial vehicles for more than 11-14 hours at a time depending on what it is, so all people running trains do is wake up, drive one way for roughly 10 hours, nap in barracks or a hotel, and drive back the way they came.

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI

Rails McHoeboy !Wuj2YEkvgI Fri 20 Sep 2013 20:07:10 No.199582 Report

Quoted By: >>199590 >>199816

>>199578
quick answers to these for now because i'm going /out/ for the weekend.

>wheres the best place on a train to stay
Boxcars, Canadian Grainers, 48' inter-modal wells.

>how do you avoid the workers
Be sneaky, wear muted colors i.e. dark earth tones and blacks. keep an eye on your surroundings. Truth be told though workers are not really who you have to worry about. more often they're unconcerned about train hoppers, and sometimes they'll even help you out.

>whats best time of day to hop on one
Usually after dark, although this depends on the circumstances

>how do you get off and where
know where you want to get off. wait for the train to slow down to 5-2 miles an hour, they often do this pulling through a city or pulling into a yard. toss your pack off. jump down AWAY FROM THE RAILS. or you could just wait for the train to come to a stop.

I'd also like to add NEVER JUMP ON THE FLY
it's %100 easier and safer to get on and off when the train is not in motion.

>chances of being caught + the punishment
Misdemeanor or felony trespassing depending on where you are.

>trainhopping in new england general
lolidunno. I'm from the west coast. I can check my super secret hobo guide when I get back from camping this weekend and see, but a better bet would be contacting some trainhoppers on your own and getting the lay of the land from them.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 20 Sep 2013 20:28:26 No.199590 Report

Quoted By:

>>199582
thanks for your time man i appreciate it, have a great day and good luck

Anonymous

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Anonymous Sat 21 Sep 2013 02:51:05 No.199739 Report

Quoted By: >>201293

The train is going slow enough to hop if you can count the bolts on the wheels

Trains are getting ready to leave the yard when they attach the FRED (flashing rear end device)

Look for boxcars with both doors open so you dont get stuck inside

Bring at least 2 gallons of water who knows how long you will be on the train.

Beware trains will kill you quicker thatn shit and are super dangerous, always go over and never under a trail

Keep loose lothing and blankets away from moving parts

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 21 Sep 2013 08:16:51 No.199816 Report

Quoted By:

>>199582
Where're you from Rails? Eugene area here. All dem lumber trains.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 21 Sep 2013 11:18:29 No.199845 Report

Quoted By:

>>199540

That girl was cute.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 24 Sep 2013 05:14:54 No.201261 Report

Quoted By: >>201293 >>202158

A few bits
>dont jump on the fly unless you can count the lugs on the wheel
>Grab a moving train with your leading hand. If you grab with your trailing hand then you will get flipped around and die
>dont get caught
>Look at the springs on the suspension to tell if a car is empty
>A flasher on the back of a train means its leaving soon
>Tunnels can kill you. Wet rag and a sleeping bag!
>Wedge a rail spike to jam box car doors open. You cant open them from the inside and will bake in the oven they create.
>Owl holes are great to hide in
>Do NOT get caught
>Share food
>Dont ask for a crew change.
>Not all cars are the same. If youre catching a grainer on the fly make sure you know it has a floor.
>Ride on the back porch
>Front porch is called dirty face for a reason

Anonymous

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Anonymous Tue 24 Sep 2013 06:18:59 No.201293 Report

Quoted By: >>201673

>>199739
>>201261
I love you guys.

Here's a few questions I asked on /trv/ that went unanswered. Just ignore the ones that were already answered in the thread, I'll read it tomorrow. I really need to get some sleep. Thanks again!

1- How do you know which train goes where at the station? I can't believe the general direction of the track is that reliable. Around here, some train tracks can change 180 degrees in just a couple of miles.

2- Is having a compass and a railroad map enough or is it better to bring other devices (GPS, etc.)?

3- General tips for not losing limbs/getting killed by the trains? I heard a few stories and that's pretty much the only thing I'm scared of at this point, I wanna know if the danger of trains has been overhyped. I mean, I'm not that dumb so I know it's still dangerous, but...

4- How do you "manage" sleep? Do most trains keep rolling all night? Where do you sleep if not on the train?

5- What about the gear and supplies? I mean except food, water and good clothes: things like TP, waterproof case for wallet and cell phone if you take one, medication, etc.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 25 Sep 2013 03:49:21 No.201673 Report

Quoted By: >>202158

>>201293
>1
You can get a rail atlas online and print out what you want. It will show the lines tonage and who runs them. With that and a compass you will be able to know where you are.

>2
You dont need a GPS
>3
Dont hop on the fly. If the light is on the train you can get into the owl hole on a grainer with a porch and get comfy. This is one of the safest ways. Or hop in a gondola.
>4
You sleep in some bushes by the tracks, a hobo jungle, a squat other train kids tell you about. Mostly on your own by the tracks.
>5
TP, water, food, a good jacket, and yeah water proof it.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 01:28:43 No.202048 Report

Quoted By: >>202083

The only advice you need to hop fraight:
1. Buy alice pack
2. Buy pitt bull dog
3. Buy 40oz or bag of wine

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 02:34:50 No.202065 Report

Quoted By:

i've studied this shit for a long time, and im gonna do this for a summer adventure soon. can't wait

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 03:47:59 No.202083 Report

Quoted By: >>202105 >>211654

>>202048

i know i don't have any experience hopping trains, i know people do it and it's not uncommon, but bringing a dog of any sort seems crazy to me. If you wanted to go into town you'd have to leave it with someone, if you had to hitch for some reason you'd have to wait for a car that would take you and the dog, it'd have to piss and shit on the train you're riding on, you'd have to carry extra food and water for it, it just seems like an incredibly shit shot for whatever (seemingly to me) small benefits it might provide.

and if it got hurt or sick, what the fuck would you do?

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 04:28:20 No.202105 Report

Quoted By: >>202114

>>202083
but every train kid has a pit bull

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 04:30:46 No.202106 Report

Quoted By:

anyone want to hop a norfolk southern out of asheville. Ive heard the ride west is great.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 04:59:06 No.202114 Report

Quoted By: >>202130

>>202105

that's what im asking: why? how do you take care of it? Doesn't it get in the way all the time?

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 06:12:38 No.202130 Report

Quoted By: >>202139

>>202114
It's usually if you're alone. Dogs will bark at anything they find suss, it's a little living alarm on the road

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 06:38:39 No.202139 Report

Quoted By: >>202143

>>202130

idk man. i get it, but i just don't think all the hassle of maintaining the dog is worth having the dog.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 06:45:49 No.202143 Report

Quoted By: >>202149

>>202139
Some people find it preferable to waking up to the melodious sound of yer butt cheeks gettin' pounded

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 07:01:44 No.202149 Report

Quoted By: >>202150 >>202151 >>214437

>>202143

>if you leave your home to do anything other than go to work and buy groceries you'll get raped by approximately 12 large black males

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 07:03:37 No.202150 Report

Quoted By:

>>202149

also, if someone was really dead-set on raping a dirty hobo with a dog he could just shoot the dog then shoot you when he's done.

As dangerous as the world is i don't believe it's THAT dangerous.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 07:16:43 No.202151 Report

Quoted By: >>202152

>>202149
It's an extreme example, but people WILL be more likely to pickpocket you if you're sleeping alone

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 07:23:02 No.202152 Report

Quoted By: >>203019

>>202151

fair point, but wouldn't it be easier to travel with a friend who can take care of him/herself as opposed to having to take car of a extremely dependent dog?

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 08:46:53 No.202158 Report

Quoted By: >>203019

>>201673
>>201261

What's an owl hole? What's a porch?

How do you tell which cars you can ride?

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 09:38:47 No.202164 Report

Quoted By: >>203019

I see all these trainhopping threads. But have any of you guys even done this? I don't know what trains are like where you guys live. But here, it's not like the movies where there is a slow moving railcar with the door flung open and you can hop in and find some friendly hobos and hay/pinestraw. More like three locomotives pulling that bitch at 70-80mph and all the cars are tankers and center beams full of lumber

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 09:45:04 No.202167 Report

Quoted By:

>>199085
bump before it hits page2

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 09:56:04 No.202169 Report

Quoted By: >>202247 >>202248 >>203019

>mexicans train hop out of necessity to come to america
>many of them die
>white people do it for fun
why

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 15:58:08 No.202247 Report

Quoted By:

>>202169
>mexicans hike long distances out of necessity to come to america
>many of them die
>white people do it for fun

>some people live innawoods out of necessity
>many of them die
>white people do it for fun

Because.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 16:00:06 No.202248 Report

Quoted By:

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 16:35:07 No.202259 Report

Quoted By:

What are the chances of getting caught if you're just waiting around outside some train yard in bumfuck nowhere? Like not even trees live out there, it's just grass...

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 26 Sep 2013 16:40:25 No.202263 Report

Quoted By:

Also will box cars literally just have wide open doors? How will you be able to tell?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 28 Sep 2013 01:06:12 No.203019 Report

Quoted By: >>203020

>>202152
Yeah some people see it that way but if youre traveling with your dog then they catch on quick. Also, some hobos are mean when youre clean.
>>202158
You tell with experience. A porch is a thing made for workers to walk across on the back of a grainer. Its a good ride after you get going. The owl hole leads off the porch into the grainer itself and you can crawl in and have a room to hide in.
>>202169
I saw a documentary on the mexicans hopping. Im not surprised they die. You have crowds of people hopping on the fly and sitting on top of box cars.
>>202164
More like 30-40mph if its a junker and yeah its a bit of a rush. Its still doable.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 28 Sep 2013 01:07:44 No.203020 Report

Quoted By:

>>203019
Also, youre welcome for getting you killed and making your parents worry.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 28 Sep 2013 22:39:49 No.203357 Report

Quoted By: >>203432

heres a question

how many of you have actually lived off a backpack of just necessitys and little food? whats it like?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 29 Sep 2013 01:32:13 No.203416 Report

Quoted By:

hey OP, get onto google and draw or print yourself out a map or two, bring a compass and be careful. drinking water near the tracks can be a bad idea so bring lots of water or purification tabs. often trains haul more than one type of cart so youll have some selection.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 29 Sep 2013 02:12:07 No.203432 Report

Quoted By: >>204451 >>208411

>>203357
Significantly dirtier, less comfortable and less safe

You'll have to panhandle or do street performances or what have you if you want to live, cash is king baby

Unless you cannot fucking stand staying in the same place all the time or you detest having responsibilities so much that you'd give up all your material wealth, it's not something you'd be interested in. If you're crazy like that though go ahead and try it

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 01 Oct 2013 02:54:52 No.204451 Report

Quoted By:

>>203432

rough odds of dying or getting uncurable diseases?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 06 Oct 2013 05:15:49 No.206891 Report

Quoted By:

random question:

thinking of hitching columbus ohio to miami in a couple weeks, can i make the trip in two days? Or am i just a wishful thinking lunatic?

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 09 Oct 2013 13:31:35 No.208411 Report

Quoted By: >>211666

>>203432
>Significantly dirtier,
This. I hate smelling like a dead ape but there's really nothing you can do.

>less comfortable
Every single thing requires more preparation and time.
Keep this in mind

You can't just get home, kick your shoes off and get your ass to bed.

You can't just step in the shower twice a day.
You need to find a secluded area with warm water.

You can't just put your dirty clothes in the machine and put on a outfit.
You need to wash, rinse (if you even have soap) wring, and hang.
Then wait until you can put them on again.

>You'll have to panhandle or do street performances
I never do any of that. You don't need any money to travel or eat.
But you need to invest more time in hitchhiking, or dumpstering, or just hanging out at a farmers market for leftovers.
Or you can get a quick job. Day labor isn't just for Mexicans

If you don't have money for some everyday thing you can still get it for free. But it will take much longer.
Thats pretty much the only rule

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 11 Oct 2013 21:21:00 No.209478 Report

Quoted By:

OP here, man I can't believe this thread is still up. Then again, this IS /out/. Thanks for all the tips and tricks and precautions to take for train riding of all kinds. I wish I had remembered to reply to the thread as it went along but at least I caught it before it disappeared.
You sc/out/s are a fine lot. I hope this board stays the way it is, as it is perfect. Happy trails!

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 11 Oct 2013 21:23:25 No.209479 Report

Quoted By:

>>199085
OP bumping

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 16 Oct 2013 19:53:52 No.211622 Report

Quoted By:

bump for adventure

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 16 Oct 2013 21:02:52 No.211651 Report

Quoted By:

>>199573
That is with gondolas, otherwise I'm fairly sure no other cars have a risk of getting crushed. Unless you are with something that can shift during the ride.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 16 Oct 2013 21:07:40 No.211654 Report

Quoted By:

>>202083
They dont shit or piss on the train unless they have a sickness, you have them shit and piss beforehand as well as you can. The main reason dogs started to be carried is as heaters, you train them to crawl into your sleeping bag and they keep you warm. I know someone who only still has their feet trainhopping because of their dog keeping them warm.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 16 Oct 2013 21:20:54 No.211666 Report

Quoted By:

>>208411
>I hate smelling like a dead ape but there's really nothing you can do.

Just have a set of trainhopping clothes, and a clean set that you ONLY wear among normal "civilized" people.

Well, this is what I did when I hitchhiked. When I'd traipse around the woods and occasionally catch a train, I wore my ratty oogle clothes. I had a "non-threatening" outfit in my pack, nicely sealed, dry, and clean inside a garbage bag. When I got back to the highway, I would change into the nicer clothes. When I had to trainhop again, I'd get back into the shitty clothes. There is absolutely no reason to be a "filthy" bum.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 16 Oct 2013 21:49:15 No.211676 Report

Quoted By:

>How to lose an arm or leg, get killed, and wind up in jail: the thread

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 19 Oct 2013 16:47:28 No.212920 Report

Quoted By: >>213000

>>199085
>be me
>sneak into america from mexico when the border patrol agent goes to find my files
>crawl through drainage pipe
>hop onto train
>ride train all night long
>suddenly stop
>guy pulls up in car
>oh shit oh shit what do?
>pulls me out of the train
>beats me up p bad like wtf
>tells me this is the god damn rail road
>niggas like me arent allowed
>they arent gonna lose their license for shitheads like me
>say yes sir sorry sir never again sir
>fuck off North To Alaska
>find a bus outside of fairbanks
>be all innawoods
>good time was had by all
>dead

so thats my story. what do you think?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 19 Oct 2013 17:13:57 No.212928 Report

Quoted By: >>214437

op is gonna get robbed and fucked up by dirty kids

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 19 Oct 2013 20:00:48 No.213000 Report

Quoted By: >>214044

>>212920
Oh you

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 21 Oct 2013 14:42:53 No.214044 Report

Quoted By:

>>213000
tee hee

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 22 Oct 2013 07:11:40 No.214437 Report

Quoted By:

>>212928
>>202149

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 18 Aug 2014 11:13:26 No.214437,1 Report Delete

Quoted By:

this is bad archive

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