KaBar Posted October 10, 2001 Share Posted October 10, 2001 I was reading about the DeadTrainBums.com site up the stack---the pw's are "dead" and "bums." A guy named Jaks is the owner, he's an old-time trainhopper who is real worried about all the FNG's starting to hop and getting pinched. He's concerned that if hopping gets real popular the railroads will catch shit from the government and they will ALL start turning up the heat on railriders and make new laws increasing the jail time and fines for hopping. I hop all the time--anybody interested in starting a thread on hopping and painting? I meet true tramps in the yards all the time. Some of them are cool, some of them are straight up crazy, and some of them are genuinely scarey and evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fr8oholic Posted October 13, 2001 Share Posted October 13, 2001 slack action and other tidbits all by kabar. Everybody has heard about Slack Action, but not everybody understands exactly what it is. The railcars are built with couplers that automatically close when two cars are banged together in humping, when humped over a hump crest, or by "flat-switching" the cars in a small yard with no hump. When a switchman cuts out a car on the crest of the hump, he has to do it at just the right moment. The unit powers up in reverse (humping is done in reverse--the unit pulls the string over the hump, then starts backing up so the cars can be cut out, humped, retarded and switched into their new string) and gets the string rolling, then he slacks off the accelerator and the car to be cut (called a "cut") rolls up slowly to the hump crest. When the switchman sees the unit is off the power, he pulls the pin (it's a lever that goes out the side of the coupler) opening the coupler, releasing the "cut" and allowing gravity to roll it into the hump and the master retarder. As the car rolls down the hump, the switchmen in the crest tower hit the MR, and you can hear the squeal of the retarder shoes rubbing the outside of the train car wheels to slow it down. Couplers can handle an impact of about 5 mph, no more. There is another retarder farther down the hump line, called a "group retarder" but I think my local yard doesn't have one. The car rolls until it hits the string of cars in it's CONsist. When it hits, the impact closes the coupler, and it locks automatically. There is about 1"-3/4" slack in the couplers themselves. The couplers are connected to the "draft gear." The draft gear isn't really gears, it's like "gear" in terms of somebody's stuff, rather than a transmission gear. The draft gear can move in and out about 12"-14" max. So when a unit starts to pull a train, the first car hits slack action after a foot. The second car, after two feet, and so on. On a long train, say 80 cars, the unit may move 85 feet before the FRED moves an inch. Slack action is much more violent in the back half of the train, like the tail on a bull whip. As the train "stretches out", you hear slack coming down the string b-b-b-b-B-B-B-Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom-BOOM-BOOM-BANG! and all the sudden your car is jerked into motion. Stretch out is also called "draft" like in "draft horses." It means "pull." Then, if the engineer gets on the brakes, the train starts contracting the same way, but it's called "buff." It sounds the same b-b-b-B-B-Boom-Boom-Boom-BOOM-BOOM-BANG! and suddenly your car is slowing down. It is now "buffed in." What this means to people in railyards is that they need to be aware that trains can move at any second, especially a long string. The units way down on the other end of the yard may suddenly get powered up and told to move, or get "called." Or the string your car is on can be hit by a midnight rambler at any time, as the hump crew suddenly starts making up a consist. BE ALERT AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU. Really tight crews have at least one guy (maybe a rookie) serving as a spotter, watching for ramblers, bulls, cops, etc. If you're hopping, you definately need to understand slack action to the nuts. ALWAYS HANG ONTO SOMETHING. Don't ride freestyle or skylining. Only FNG wannabes do shit like that. HIDE. "No exposure without purpose." That's what I think, anyway. (Yo, Collinwood, your shit rocks. "CK, rock like him," and Ride Safe.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fu Posted October 17, 2001 Share Posted October 17, 2001 Originally posted by raildeviant Good looking out Cracked, info is always appreciated. Not sure if any of you have these in your local yard, but over here, in the city's biggest yard which is half CN and half CP, the use of remote control engines is in full effect. Essentially, the worker walks along the tracks with a remote control and works the engine from there (you see, trains are BIG toys!!!). Its cool to watch, but is also very dangerous for a couple of reasons. 1) There is no conductor in the engine, so no one to blow the horn to tell you to get the fuck out of the way. 2) With the worker controlling the engine from the ground, you may be paying attention to him and not notice the ghost rider train coming at you from the opposite direction. Another piece of advice. If you feel the need to close the door on an open boxcar so you can complete that purty end2end you have been planning (which I do not recommend), keep in mind that once you get the momentum built up the door won't stop until it slams shut, with or without your fingers in the way. Play safe, clean your spots and never accept candy from men in trenchcoats. you hear that fellas some advice for the fr8 world....damn there getting jiggy nowa days i heard something of that extent couple years ago when i was talking to a worker...but they already using that shit that's crazy..but u guy are in a little more bigger yards than what i'm dealing with.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEM1 Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 perhaps this is a stupid question but.... ....well whatever. I was in my local layup and it is 3 tracks with about 30 cars total. mostly grain hoppers. i had been in the layup for like 3 hours when i heard a hiss come from under the line that i was painting. it was for only a few seconds and then nothing. i was wondering why it did this. the trains had been there for hours maybe even a day. there is no engines or yard for miles. can anyone explain this to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkjunkie34 Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 this is very interesting...i've always liked painting fr8s but i never really painted em in a yard always the layups down the way...thanks for the info...guess i should be more careful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkjunkie34 Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 i dont know how many of you guys have been to paint louis, the yard across from the flood wall is always very active and i've seen them hump trains at about 20 mph...and like everyone else has said...you cant hear a fucking thing.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkjunkie34 Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 one night we went to a party in the sticks...and this house was about 50 yards from the tracks...so i get pretty drunk and i go to sleep in my friends car, which is about 20 feet from the tracks...anyhow, i woke up to the harmonious sounds of a fucking conductor horn or whatever you call them and the conducter pointing and laughing at my misfortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr. frink one Posted October 21, 2001 Share Posted October 21, 2001 how much, on average, would you say a single "coasting ghost car" would weigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cracked ass Posted October 21, 2001 Share Posted October 21, 2001 There is no "average", it depends on what type of car. Just read the load limits. Your basic boxcar runs about 70000 lbs (35 tons) empty or "light" as they say, twice that loaded. Some hicube boxcars (excess height cars) have a load limit well over 200,000 lbs (100 tons). Plenty enough to run you down, even at a pokey 3 mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Mulder Posted October 22, 2001 Share Posted October 22, 2001 i have a question. this weekend i was benching in the woods just outside of a pretty active yard. and this car pulls up and a girl is driving and a guy who looks like he is maybe 20 gets out and the girl drives away. he looks at me and just starts walking the path in the woods. i watch him walk down a little then lose sight of him. mean while there is a line sitting on the first track so i can't see shit on any of the other lines. about 20 minutes go by then the train pulls out. and since it just started moving its going real slow. then i see the guy run out of the woods. hop on the back of one of the new white tropicanas. he goes around the back. so then i think oh this dude is hopping. but he doesn't have a bag or anything. like 10 seconds later he jumps off. and goes back into the woods. anyone know why this guy did this? he didn't look like a bum. and if he was going to hop why did he get off plus he had no bag. i looked on the back of the car he hopped on to see if he had tagged it or something but he hadn't. i'm guessing no one on here will know why but oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Mask Posted October 23, 2001 Share Posted October 23, 2001 Originally posted by Fox Mulder i have a question. this weekend i was benching in the woods just outside of a pretty active yard. and this car pulls up and a girl is driving and a guy who looks like he is maybe 20 gets out and the girl drives away. he looks at me and just starts walking the path in the woods. i watch him walk down a little then lose sight of him. mean while there is a line sitting on the first track so i can't see shit on any of the other lines. about 20 minutes go by then the train pulls out. and since it just started moving its going real slow. then i see the guy run out of the woods. hop on the back of one of the new white tropicanas. he goes around the back. so then i think oh this dude is hopping. but he doesn't have a bag or anything. like 10 seconds later he jumps off. and goes back into the woods. anyone know why this guy did this? he didn't look like a bum. and if he was going to hop why did he get off plus he had no bag. i looked on the back of the car he hopped on to see if he had tagged it or something but he hadn't. i'm guessing no one on here will know why but oh well. how could we possibly know? I saw some weirdo on the street who went back and forth up the same block 3 times before leaving, why'd he do it? can you answer that? of course not. people are fucking strange...just deal with it. Unless that guy is on this board you wont get an answer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Mulder Posted October 23, 2001 Share Posted October 23, 2001 don't get angry, i said no one would probably know. i was just wondering if this was something i didn't know about, like people do it for fun or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdeityx Posted October 23, 2001 Share Posted October 23, 2001 crucial Man that is good info. About two years ago five of my punk friends and me decided to hop a train cause we met a homeless guy named 'wolf' who had come in on a fr8 from vegas.. anyway it took us forever to get on a line that was actually leaving, if I had known about humping and air could have saved MAD time.. oh well that was years ago still a good memory.. Back then I didnt write what so ever so didnt even tag a single car the entire time... one interesting thing is we almost got stuck in the middle of the desert (a layup in the middle of nevada).. We ended up in a tiny town where they told us hobo's come through all the time and to just get back on the next train and they wouldnt mind.. unfortunately it was a setup and the sheriff was waiting with his lights on the cars and we got caught and had to hitch hike and get back home! Anyway long story short you're only 15 once, but looking back now it wasnt the smartest thing to hop trains with out knowing a damn thing. I hope everyone reads this and passes on the info to the peeps you know/trustXXX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaBar Posted October 23, 2001 Share Posted October 23, 2001 Brake Air Reservoirs Gem 1---The hiss you heard was from the aired-up brake system. Even though that string wasn't hooked up to power (i.e. engines), it still has compressed air in the reservoir tank underneath the car. The law says the system is not supposed to leak at all but realistically they do leak a little bit, especially if it's an old, beat-up car. The brakes are "set" by the pressure in the reservoir if the air is released from the service line. When the engineer wants to hit the brakes, he operates the service air lever in the cab, and it allows the reservoir air to apply the brakes to whatever degree the engineer releases service air. If he "dynamites" the brakes, it sets them completely, and almost instantly. Modern trains have a system that sets the brakes gradually under normal circumstances. When the railroad workers want to hump the car, they drop the air out of the reservoirs. When they are going to hump a whole string, they kill the unit air from the engines, then a couple of switchmen will walk down the string operating the air reservoir lever on each car and drop the air out of them. Once they do that, the unit can then back them up and the switchmen can cut a car off the string by pulling the coupler pin (lever) and send it down the hump rolling free. Different cars have a different amount of what Littlejohn calls "rollability." Heavy cars roll with greater force, obviously, than emptys. I had watched rail workers doing this for a long time before I actually understood what was going on. When you are around trains, standing, layed-up or whatever, LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE AIR BRAKING SYSTEM. You may not be able to see that an engine has picked up the string your working on, but if you hear the brakes air up, time to get ready for it to move. To see if brakes are set on a "parked" string, kick the air hoses (not too hard, please.) If the hoses are hard, the brakes are set. If the hoses are slack(er), probably the string is sitting there without any brakes whatsoever. BE CAREFUL around a string with no brakes set (it's exceedingly rare.) It could move by accident or misfortune, or it could suddenly be humped. You don't want to get smacked by a rolling string of freight cars, for real. Stand clear, and don't lean on the cars or sit anywhere close enough to get hit by one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdz Posted October 25, 2001 Share Posted October 25, 2001 this post deserves props. thanks. -cdz $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEM1 Posted October 25, 2001 Share Posted October 25, 2001 thanks KABAR. i was just wondering cause there werent any engines for miles. and i didnt think that the air just let itself out so i was kinda surprised when i heard the hiss. thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDopez MD Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 ive done my share of hiding out under trains although these trais i know like the back of my hand they never move at night and are way the hell away from any type of engine. although one thing ive done which is defintly not a good idea was on 3 seperate occasions i was forced to run from actually real POLICE not bulls in train yards. ive never seen a bull now that i think of it but anyways me and my friend start running between lines of trains but the pursuers can see us the whole time despite the fact thier far behind (we were running in a autorack yard) so we decide to climb the ladders and start running on the tops of the trains and jump to the next ones. ive actually chilled on top of many a laid up train getting high since i started smoking n painting. i know its a stupid idea i just felt the need to share my stupidity so to better validate the point of this thread. dont be stupid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REGULATOR Posted October 30, 2001 Share Posted October 30, 2001 i have never painted a freight before....i will go kill myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REGULATOR Posted October 30, 2001 Share Posted October 30, 2001 it also doesnt help that in SF....you gotta go across the fucking bay to find any good yards.....there isnt jack shit for trains in SF....fuck this place.....if any one from SF could tell me where some nice yards are and are good for stupid ass toys like me...i would be glad to kno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frontophile Posted November 1, 2001 Share Posted November 1, 2001 ya what the fucks up with anus.com deadtrainbums is crazy i love this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pone156tfo Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Thanks for the tip. I didn't know that.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pone156tfo Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Good Point Originally posted by *see-phore* i dont know half of a quarter of the shit the rest of you guys do but try working out hand signals with your boys avoid talking and always watch out. and you know the gravel on the tracks isnt as loud as you think (its louder when youre doing the running) you can only hear it about ten feet away The hand signals tip is makes alot of sense thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pone156tfo Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Originally posted by B_As_In_Bot My yard has this passenger train called the metrolink..ive seen the yard and shit..but not real close..now imagine that it would have 3rd rail or whatever the case elictified..now ive also seen freights run on the same tracks..a couple of those run a round things where sometimes i see idle freights..any chance that they might be electrified? anyone have some words on it? Yeah look out for 3rd rails obviously. Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pone156tfo Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Numbers Originally posted by cracked ass WORKERS. These guys can be your best friend or your worst enemy, and much of it is up to you. First off, rail workers are regular guys. They spend a lot of time in the yards, don't see too many friendly faces on the job, and have different personalities, from angelic to asshole. This means that with the right attitude, you can have a more positive encounter with workers than you think, although it will always vary by the individual worker, and the hotter the yard, the less friendly a reception you should expect. Workers know the dangers of a yard, so when they see a trespasser their first reaction is often of concern: they don't know whether or not YOU know anything about yard safety, and don't want to see you get killed in their yard. Even a cold bastard of a worker won't want to have to look at your dismembered corpse. So they'll all be concerned, not so much that you're trespassing, but whether you know what you're doing around freights. If you show that you know what you're doing that improves your chances to have a favorable encounter with a worker - nothing's guaranteed, but just remember that there's no reason to flat-out run from an ordinary worker, you may be able to reason with him. I know one cat who got caught painting red-handed (literally) by a worker, who said, "We can smell your paint three lines over." He came and looked at the piece in progress and said "That's cool. Just stay off the numbers." Then he left without further comment. There are a few art appreciators out there...rare, but it happens. I don't want to paint a rosy picture here, so let's talk about the difference between THE BULL (railroad cops) and regular yard workers. First off, in the old days and still today, rail workers are 100% unionized. They stick together like that. I don't know if anything has changed recently, but bulls have always been non-union. Surprisingly, the bull is often despised or barely tolerated by the union guys: he cruises the yard, eating donuts or whatever, and mostly just kills time, hoping not to have to do anything on his shift. Nowadays, with some yards heating up, there are more bulls, they are more sophisticated and somewhat less likely to be really lazy, and may get more cooperation from yard workers than before, but in general the union/nonunion thing is still a reason the worker might like you better than the bull, and not rat you out to him. A lot of this unlooked-for friendliness in workers is reserved for hoboes, especially discreet, respectful ones. You could walk up to a yard worker and ask him what time and what track you'd want in order to catch a ride on a freight to a certain city, and he'd tell you and then warn you what kind of car the bull drives so you could avoid him. Again, this hospitality varies enormously from yard to yard, and the big city yards are much more likely to be hostile, but there are still plenty of places in North America where you can do this today. That's for hoboing, though. Painting is a different story. More workers will be angry with you for painting. Some will be OK with it but will insist that you stay off the numbers. Rarely they will sic the bull on you, or in one case I heard of, beat the shit out of you. So, if you are seen painting the best bet is to try and get away; if you're surprised up close by a worker who is obviously not a bull, try to reason with him, showing him respect, pointing out that you're avoiding going over the numbers, and saying you're OK with leaving if that's what he wants, it's his yard. Some of these situations can be salvaged, other times you're just fucked and should run like hell. But if you're seen by a worker and there is no way he could know you're there to paint, say hi, start a conversation if it seems feasible. If he's cool you may be able to get information like chill times and places, whether there's a bull at the yard, etc. Don't mention graffiti unless you really hit it off great, or he brings it up. For a bull encounter: if seen painting, get the hell out. If you're just walking and he can't know what you're up to, approach his vehicle when he yells at you, be calm and reasonable. Pass the attitude test. Unless he's a real dickhead he won't do more than give you a spiel about how it's private property and you have to leave. Be agreeable and do it, and don't come back for eight hours, by then his shift will be over and any new encounter will be with a different guy. If the same bull catches you a second time on his shift you're fucked. No not Kraftwerk but what's up with the #'s are they special markings that the fr8's people need and so they don't want you to cover them? I know a really retarded Question but humor me please thanks Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cracked Ass Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Yes...you are correct about the numbers. The letters and numbers usually toward the left side of the car (such as RBOX33433, MRL8022, CR89092, etc.) need to be on there by law. So do the weight limits (which read LD LMT 148600, LT WT 72000 or similar). Same with the small black box on the right side of most cars which has small white printing in it (such as AB LUB 98 NO). If you paint over these things, workers get annoyed (or worse), and the info will be restamped on there as soon as is convenient for the railroad (usually a few weeks to a few months). If you avoid painting over the numbers on purpose, many workers will lose interest in busting your ass and some might even like the work. It shows you know what you are doing around freights, and you're willing to convert what you know into a degree of respect for them and their job. (But be warned, if workers catch you painting and you're like "But we didn't go over the numbers" it's not a get out of jail free card, it won't cut ice every time, it's just a big help in softening their hostility. A railroad cop will absolutely not care, his attitude is, you are defacing RR property, period. A regular worker will usually appreciate your avoiding the numbers to some degree.) The other advantage to avoiding the numbers is that your piece will probably run a lot longer, possibly many years. A lot of railcar owners won't bother to buff graffiti as long as the numbers are intact. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pone156tfo Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Thanks Thanks much Cracked for the expanded explanation. For this dumb ass. Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shameless self promotion Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 werd werd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeofyork Posted November 17, 2001 Share Posted November 17, 2001 ive heard stories about some writers who hop and hit fr8s in other areas then hop back...ive never done it, but the idea sounds like fun. i dont think im gonna go out and try to hop, i have not even the slightest clue about it, and im not trying to fuck things up for other people, or myself. whether its a railcop or worker, your best bet is to make tracks, duh. and fox, ive heard from one of my boys that he has seen vans pull up to railroad crossings at somewhat secluded spots and seen engines stop and a worker jumps out and exchanges bags with the guy in the van... did the guy you saw have a bag when he left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLiPWriTeR Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 damn. thare are some pretty crazy stories on here. well heres mine.. i scope the yard for like a g00d 10 minutes. everything is calm, no action. so i walk down the line. as i pass maybe two or three cars, i hear some shit. im like what the fuck is that continuing noise? so now im walking slower and fully aware now. as i hit the fourth car (coal car), i look up and guess what.. a fucking rail worker or bum or whoever the fuck he/she was walking along with me on top of the fucking cars!! without any thinking, i ran my scared, timberland boot wearing, walmart shopping bag carrying ass to my fucking car.. it was about a two hundred yards and i think i got there in like 3 seconds.. damn, but um, yeah thats some crazy shit for yall to ponder on..bo0oO0000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poiuhgd Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 what is the 'third rail' ive heard it called two different definitions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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