Hobos, Tramps and Homeless Bums

[Suicide Bomber]

Back to one of the most recent posts of this thread with the whole graffiti topic... i fer one mostly tag for the rush... i love getting rush's and quickly hitting up a sighn on a super busy streat full of cranky old people is a good way to get one. 2 everyone starts out as a shitty grapher u think those people wit the huge masterpieces started out like that? all people start bad and work there way up. I agree wit the whole tagging somones house or sumtin thats just gay... id love it if somone did it to my house but thats beside the point. I will tag any building (besides somones home) any sighn any mail box u name it... its the governments property they got the money and i love the look of all crap or not crap. I just like pissing off old people cause my city is being over run wit em...

 

(sry if this makes anyone mad its really late n i had to wake up super early for work)

[KaBar2]

Actually, the topic of this thread is "Hobos, Tramps and Homeless Bums", and the grafitti reference was just in passing.

 

As far as hitting people's private property or residential neighborhoods, in my opinion this is a serious error. People get a lot more vindictive over you harming their private property than they do by you writing graff someplace like a freeway overpass, a freight train car or an industrial area. "Pissing off old people" seems like a complete waste of time and energy. How old are you again?

 

And the consequences for felony grafitti vandalism are severe, at least they are where I live. You can expect, minimum, a fine of around $500, to pay restitution to the person whose property you harmed, and probation. The juvenile justice system is open-ended. They do not normally give you a set amount of time, like "thirty days." Once you are arrested, you go to a juvenile classification center, where you get evaluated. Then to a juvenile detention center, where you would probably be housed in a one-man cell for however many weeks it takes to go to Juvenile Court. Then once you get to Court, your lawyer may request that your Court date be re-set several times for one treason or another. When you finally get ajudicated (judged) the Judge may release you on probation to your parents, he may send you to a residential facility for a period of several months, or he can send you on to the Juvenile Corrections System. In Texas (where I live) this is called Texas Youth Commission. It's essentially just like a prison system, but for older children and teenagers. There are about six or seven TYC detention facilities in Texas. They look exactly like adult prisons from the outside--high fences, razor wire and guard towers, 24-hour a day lights, and motion sensors.

 

Don't get the idea that they won't send you to some place like TYC if you are caught hitting private property. The first time they probably won't, but after a couple of arrests for different stuff, yeah.

 

I work as a (male) registered nurse in an adolescent psychiatric facility, in a unit that is on contract to provide psychiatric services to the local juvenile detention center. I have had about ten or twelve patients over the years that got sent to JDC for grafitti, usually for vandalizing somebody's house, or a school.

 

Make your own choices. Don't expect them to show any mercy when you get caught, because they probably won't. The way to avoid the consequences is to avoid the illegal behavior. But, knowing what I know about teenagers, you probably will continue to think "They'll never catch me" and act stupid until you actually feel the handcuffs.

[Suicide Bomber]

I said tagging private property is gay... i handstyle tag sighns and do my painting downtown like on buildings there and stuff and texas seems pretty harsh... where i live there alot easier ive bin caught graffing like twice and they never even arrested me.

[KaBar2]

Heard from Stretch and Burl again, first by email, then a phone call. They were in Monroe, LA, sidelined by the bad weather, but planning to catch out within a few hours. I expect to hear from him here in town any day now.

[KaBar2]

I heard from my friend P.W. (We called him "P-Dub") who is in jail in Superior, WI.

 

1-27-05

 

"KaBar,

How's it going down on the home front? Not so great here. I kinda fucked up according to the great state of Wisconsin. I'm being charged with a felony. For carrying a broken down Shotgun in my backpack.

 

They are saying It will be about 10 years, and about $25,000 before there going to let me go. I've been In Here since just after Thanksgiving and am supposed to go to Court on the 22nd of February. "I'll know more then." Would have dropped you a line sooner but just got you're address from Frog.

 

They took all my gear into Evidence, so I haven't been able to write anyone or call until a couple of days ago. Besides that, not much is going on but time. I'll write and let you know What Happens in Court. Well, until next time you're friend,

P.W."

 

 

P.W. is a good guy, a little bit too fond of alcohol, but just about every tramp I know is a little too fond of alcohol. If anybody lives in Superior, Wisconsin or anywhere close by, please contact me, and I will give you P.W.'s real name and address, so you can write him. He doesn't have much family, outside of the Boxcar Boys. It would be great if we could set up visitation for him. If he gets convicted, it's going to be a long ten years. I'm going to send him a few bucks for commissary and some stamps. I don't know anything about the circumstances of his arrest other than what is obvious from the letter. He was busted on a train, apparently (probably the BNSF, in Superior) while carrying a disassembled shotgun. It must have been a legal shotgun, otherwise he'd be facing a Federal NFA charge.

When I write him, I'll ask him if he wants any pen pals.

[KaBar2]

Stretch and Burlington came into town on the UP from Shreveport and got here about dark. He called me at work, and when I got off, I went up there to Humble and picked them up and took them down to the jungle. They got stuck on a train with a bad order unit twice on the same train. Three days between Shreveport and Houston. That is really poor speed.

 

We're going to start work on the roof of the hooch this weekend. It's in bad shape. Later.

[KaBar2]

Latest word on P.W.---he made bail and is awaiting his Court date on February 22. Hope he has a good lawyer.

 

Stretch and Burl arrived yesterday, I picked them up and took them to the jungle. Stretch is already planning to re-roof the hooch with better materials. The weather is clear and cool. Looks like a good weekend. Time for some beers.

[ASER1NE]

Oh man i fogot about this thread , i just want to say KABAR you rock dude , Awesome insights . I gotta go back and read the last few pages ive missed .

[83.]

this one needs to stay at the top...

[KaBar2]

I caught out with Stretch, Burlington Dog and Graincar George early Saturday a.m. from Beaumont. We drove over there in my pick-up, along with my wife, who dropped us off and then drove the truck back to Houston. It was a really strange weekend.

 

First of all, we went to a place where we have caught out numerous times before, not far from a Food Bank. We weren't expecting any problem, definately not from people who work at a Food Bank, usually they are very accomodating and accepting of tramps.

Well, not these motherfuckers. We had no sooner unloaded the gear and the dog, and Stretch took the three six-packs of beer and stashed them by the tracks, when this real aggressive black guy and two Mexican warehouse hands can trotting out of the Food Bank and started asking all kinds of questions. It was obvious the guy was some sort of supervisor and had a serious power hang-up, and hated both white folks and tramps. (I've run into this shit before--a lot of black people who work at "relief" agencies think that their resources are earmarked "for black people only"--and while they are super nice to some 300 lb. black welfare mama with four or five kids in tow, they treat trainhoppers like shit.)

The likelihood of this asshole calling the police seemed extremely high, so we threw the gear back in the truck, loaded up the dog and George in the back, and drove off. Meanwhile, Mr. Food Bank Nazi went down the tracks looking for whatever Stretch stashed back there. (He seemed absolutely convinced that we were dumping trash for some reason.)

We drove back down MLK about a half mile, pulled into a side street and unloaded all our shit under a shade tree. I kissed my wife goodbye, and she drove off to Houston, leaving us afoot in the ghetto side of Beaumont. Stretch was mad as hell. He immediately went across the street and back down the tracks to retrieve the beer. No luck. Mr. Food Bank Nazi STOLE OUR BEER. I thought Stretch was going to come unglued. I have never seen him so pissed off. It's a good thing he wasn't armed, because he was murderously angry.

After he calmed down a bit, we went and bought another twelve-pack.

 

During his futile beer rescue mission, Stretch found another good spot, shielded from every direction by trees and brush, with access to the KCS yards and a good comfortable place to wait for dark. We moved over there, hiking down MLK ----three tramps loaded down with packs, sleeping bags, tents, one-gallon water bottles, a twelve-pack of Busch and all manner of hobo shit. I was thinking "We should be holding up a big sign 'WE'RE FIXING TO TRESPASS ON RAILROAD PROPERTY.' "

After dark, we moved to another spot right on the edge of the KCS yards, but we were shielded by a bunch of mesquite trees. And it was much closer to the beer store. After finishing off the Busch, we had to make another run for more beer and some burgers.

Once it got to be about eleven, and still no trains, we just said "Fuck it" (and after about a case of Busch) and went and camped out on cardboard right next to the mainline. The P.M. crew went off about midnight, after blocking up several cuts into trains and hanging some FREDs. Still no road power.

About 0200, we talked to a couple of car knockers, who reluctantly pointed out the Shreveport train. They said it was called for 0330. Suddenly, road power showed up, coupled up, laced the hoses and hauled ass out of the yard. We were like "What the fuck?" I thought the car knockers had screwed us, and was expecting the Beaumont cops to show up any second. Stretch went to talk to the switchmen. They said that the Shreveport train was pulled up about a hundred cars up the track. The yard dog offered us a ride up there. George and I said "yes," but Stretch said "It's too much trouble to load up, I'll walk." That hundred cars was more like a mile and a half.

Anyway, the yard dog ran us up there on a grainer in a short string of tank cars, and we walked the Shreveport man, looking for a ride.

And what a ride we found! Two Cadillac grainers. They are MUCH roomier than a regular grainer, and have great side walls that shield you from on-lookers. Stretch and Burl got there shortly before the train pulled. We loaded all of our gear, the three of us and Burl into that Cadillac. It was a squeeze, but we all fit. The trained pulled at 0420.

We went in the hole only once between Beaumont and Shreveport, for a southbound train pulling mostly tank cars. Kind of unusual---the train dropped the conductor, pulled past the siding, then backed into the hole. Stretch thought that the south end switch must have been damaged. I think they were just trying to avoid having to throw two switches (which would require the conductor to walk the length of the train in the dark.)

We got to Shreveport's South Wye on the KCS about 1100--SEVEN HOURS between Houston and Shreveport, LA. That's fast, as fast as most hotshots. We were expecting more like ten or twelve hours.

 

When we realized we were that close to the wye with the UP Rabbit, Stretch suddenly shouted "Shit! We're almost to the Deramus Yard curve! We have to bail, NOW!"

 

I hadn't done a rolling get off since about 1974, and I'm like "What he fuck are you doing here? You're fifty-five years old!" I swung my ruck on my right shoulder and climbed out on the ladder, and down to the stirrup. I waited until we passed over an on-coming switch, then dropped the ALICE pack as low as I could. It hit the ballast, bounced and rolled away from the track. Stretch yelled "Get Burl!" I stepped off the stirrup and hit the ballast running. The train was going about ten or twelve miles an hour. I took about five or six great big running steps, almost lost my balance but didn't, and looked up just in time to see Burl hit the ballast and go ass over teakettle in a cloud of dust. Stretch had had to heave him off like a rucksack. I looked back at my pack--it was securely away from the tracks---and started running to get Burl, up ahead of me. As I got to Burl, I saw Stretch's gear hit the ballast and go flipping and crashing along next to the train, then he got off. Last was George. He put his gear over the side, but when he got off he ran several steps then stumbled, and went down in the gravel.

 

Burl wasn't hurt, just a little freaked out at the get-off. I asked Stretch "How many times have you had to pitch Burl off like that?" and he said, "Geeze, I donno. Maybe five hundred times. He's never really been hurt. Just a little scuffed up a couple of times."

 

In fact, except for some busted up gear, and some scratches on George's leg, nobody got hurt. We lost two one-gallon water bottles (Graincar got flustered and forgot to pitch them) and one got busted open from hitting a frog. The two expensive backpacking packs both got torn up bags and bent frames. My ALICE pack and my military gear came through fine, just a few scuff marks and some dust.

 

We repaired gear as best we could with 550 shock cord, then saddled up and hiked about three or four miles to Ricky's camp in the UP yard, south of downtown Shreveport. Ricky wasn't there. His camp is very large for a hobo jungle. He has a hooch and about ten truckloads of scrap, broken bicycles, lumber, etc., stacked everywhere.

 

I was fucking beat--we'd been up more than 24 hours at this point, so we scrounged up some Thousand-Miler Paper, and rolled out right there in the yard. I tried to sleep, but UP moved about fifty trains Saturday afternoon, mostly going either back to Houston or to Longview. Early Sunday morning (about 0430) Stretch found Ricky home, and he came down to the yard to say hello.

 

Ricky is a very unusual kind of guy. He re-cycles copper and aluminum, collects aluminum cans, dumpster-dives all manner of stuff. If he gets something that works (a TV for instance, or an electric motor) he often sells it or hocks it at a pawn shop. He has no electric power at his jungle, but there is a water faucet in the UP yard.

 

Ricky showed us where the Greyhound station is, so I shook hands all around and boarded a bus for Houston--$49.00. Stretch and George headed for Mississippi. What a weekend---I'm beat.

[RodMembers]

kabar...talk to me...check yr pms...

[RodMembers]

aw jeez...

[ASER1NE]

Kabar,

 

Ok i just finished reading this entire thread ,it took about a total of 6 hours over the last few weeks. Im plannin a cross country trip to Toronto in summertime . the farthest ive gone so far is about 90 kilometers , and my graffiti experince has taught me alot about trains and yards so that helps . But i just wanted to thank you for all the info i didnt know , which was alot .

 

I have a bunch of questions that have come up to me that may seem dumb or easy to figure out if i thought them through well enough but i might get the wrong answer so i might as well ask someone who knows . Hope you feel like answering them , Heregoes......

 

These phrases i dont understand . Classification side of the apex , Retarder , Road unit (engine?) , Goat , Hump apex , Classification yard .

 

Why is being inside the cut a world of shit ?

 

Is it advisable to ride Solo ?

 

How do you tell whether your train is being pulled up over a hump apex ?

 

Dont you worry about being seen when riding in a ttx 48 ?

 

How is one supposed to get into a sleeping bag when theyre in a grainer hole at night ?

 

When waiting for a your train to get goin dont you need to worry about workers spotting you as the do there work ? Or are they cool with it ?

 

Is asking workers always a good first choice , bc in graffiti we try to avoid them at all costs .

 

What do you think of riding the second/last Engine ?

 

What do you think of Wes Modes ?

 

I know its alot but i was keeping a list as i read the thread . If you dont feel comfortable answering them on here feel free to email me at Diligentdesign@hotmail.com , or if you just dont want to then i guess im s.o.l.

 

THANKS again for all your insights , i find myself unable to stop reading a good long kabar story .

[ASER1NE]

On to the slack action thread ........

[KaBar2]

ASERINE---

 

I'll try to answer all your questions. Hope I can remember most of that.

 

Definitions:

When trains come into a yard and must be broken up and the different cars sent in different directions, this is called "classification." In small yards, this is done with a switch engine crew, with an engineer driving the "goat" and a switchman "kicking cars." The engine gets up to "kicking speed" ("No more than 4"--miles per hour) and then the switchman (riding the ladder of the car behind the "cut") yanks up the cut lever and "kicks" the cut loose. The cut is then routed through a switch an onto a blocking track, where it slams into the blocking string (cars sitting on the track) and the impact closes and locks the coupler, adding the "cut" car to the string on the blocking track.

 

In a hump yard, kicking cars is not necessary, because they are backed over the hump. The top of the hump (where the "drop" occurs) is called the Apex. So a "hump apex" is the very highest point of the hump. Downhill from the hump apex is the retarder. It is operated electrically from the Hump Tower. They can see the string of cars being backed over the hump, and are communicating by radio with the switchman "working the string" coming over the hump. He calls out the number of the car, they route it to the proper track (rolling free) after it goes through the retarder (which is like a huge brake that squeezes the flanges of the wheels from the inside--it's horribly noisy. "Flange squeal" it's called. WEAR EARPLUGS.) As the engineer gets the string to the apex, he hears the switchman call "Slack." He gets off the power. The coupler stretches out, taking the strain off the coupler knuckle. At this exact moment, the switchman yanks the cut lever, and the "cut" rolls free, over the hump apex and down the drop, through the hump retarder and is routed to the correct track. It rolls free ("No more than 4") until it crashes into the string standing on that track, and the coupler locks shut.

 

The "No more than 4" rule is frequently violated, especially by crews "kicking" cars, but if the cut is really rolling fast, when it hits the string it could cause the knuckle to break, or some other damage to either the cut or the first car in the string. Many rail cars have a sign "Do not Hump," especially container well cars and auto racks.

If you are INSIDE the cut (the rolling car) you could be seriously injured when it hits the string. Best get OFF a train being humped, BEFORE it gets to the hump yard. Hump yards are SUPER dangerous. The cars are rolling free all over the place, it's extremely noisy, cars crashing into each other, etc. The railroad guys freak out if they see you in the hump yard. Get off, and walk around the yard if possible.

 

A "road unit" or "road power" refers to the engine(s) pulling a train from one place to another, usually from city to city. Sometimes road power, or one engine of the train's road power, is used to hump a train, for expediency's sake. Otherwise, humping is done by a "yard goat" or "yard dog"---a utility engine used to make up trains, shuttle cars, kick cars, etc.

 

I do not advise riding solo. If you get hurt or sick, you have nobody to help you. You might run into a group of local thugs or a group of jackrollers or streamliners. You are ALWAYS better off riding in pairs AS LONG AS YOU KNOW YOUR PARTNER WELL AND TRUST HIM. Teaming up with strangers is risky. Wherever you go, your gear goes with you, unless you really, really trust your partner a lot.

I have ridden solo some. It's not much fun---kind of lonely. And if things get scarey, it's no fun whatsoever.

 

You can usually tell if your train is being humped by the repetitive noise and movement. The engine speeds up, then slows down and brakes, over and over. Plus you can usually hear the flange squeal of the retarder, right after the engine slows down, as the cut car rolls down the hump and goes through the retarder.

 

TTX 48's are container well cars. When one rides one (BEHIND the container, never in front), you keep a low profile. I often carry a piece of cardboard or a big piece of black railroad plastic and cover up when I'm anywhere near a yard or where people might see me. I guess the answer to your question is "Yes." I do worry about being spotted, so I hide as well as I can--laying down next to the container, covering up, wearing dark clothing, not showing a light at night (flashlights, cigarettes, lighters, etc.) and just generally trying to hide.

 

Different grainers have different size holes. They aren't too big. If you are a small person, you could probably get into a sleeping bag in one, but I don't advise it unless you are freezing to death. Some people take cardboard in the hole with them, and block the opening, like a door. I would worry about somehow getting trapped in the hole inside a zipped-up bag. I usually just use my bag for a cushion or a blanket, but I don't get inside of it. A Cadillac grainer is the best choice, by far. No hole, but LOTS of room, and good cover and concealment.

 

Some yard workers are great guys, some are assholes. They might turn you in if you are drunk, or obviously inexperienced, or are acting in a manner dangerous to yourself or damaging to the railroad in some way. The more you look like a "normal" person who knows what the fuck is going on, the less likely they are to rat you out. If you are sixteen and look like a full-blown punker crazy, you will ptobably be ratted out. I only rarely ever get fucked with, but I am an adult, and look like a long-time tramp, not a youngster who doesn't know what's going on. Ask the workers what you need to know, but BE CIRCUMSPECT. If they help you, they could get fired. If you get busted, DO NOT RAT OUT THE MEN THAT HELPED YOU. We already know trainhopping is illegal. Don't pussy out and say some shit like "That guy over there said it was okay." You'll still go to jail, plus he will get fired. Be a stand-up guy. No snitching, even if you get fucked over.

 

I have never ridden units, but I have plenty of friends that have. If it's cold and snowing, it's more acceptable. Keep a low profile, stay OUT OF SIGHT COMPLETELY. Again, if you get busted, the train crew could get fired or reprimanded. If you ask, and they say "no," then "no" it is. Show some respect.

 

I don't know Wes Modes and have never net him. I read some of his stuff on the Net. He sounds like an experienced person. Take everything you read or hear with a grain of salt, including what I say. What is true for me may not be true for you. THINK FOR YOURSELF.

 

Good luck!

[ASER1NE]

Ok i had to read it over a couple times but i think i got it now . Thanks again for all your knowlege .

[flatliner]

KaBar. I dont know what to say. You have influanced me more than anyone I am likely to ever meet. I have always dreamed of travelling and I have always belived that the tramp was the most free person on earth. But you have not only influanced me on your survival tips, but in life morals. I think it is in your other thread you say that you shouldent have wasted the education that sociaty provides you for free. Thats soo true. I intend to get my education because it means more than just knoladge. It means experiance and you cant buy that anywhere. I hope to visit America soon and experiance this freedom of travel but I would really like to get in contact with you more directly. If you could possibly PM me with an e-mail or something? I have read all your posts religiously and intend to keep this information for life. I will never look at things the same again. THANK YOU.

[El Jefe Uno]

well i just finished reading the first page of 14, haha, and i just wanted to say thanks for takin the time to post up your story.. im 17 now, and hopefully ill have half the story to tell that you do

 

back to reading the rest of the thread now, just wanted to say thanks

[El Jefe Uno]

was just browsing eBay for RR maps and such, and found a decent auction with some CSX and NFS books...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...6521847691&rd=1

 

not sure if anyone is interested, but i thought it was a decent find..

 

 

also just found this.. its a cd with all the rail lines across north america.. im not sure how good it is, but by the description it seems like it might be worth a shot..

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...134458&tc=photo

[KaBar2]

Looks like interesting stuff. I might bid on it. Thanks.

[LateNightThrillz]

we were hitting freights, not a yard just a line

and he kept going, then braking, going then braking, it was annoying as hell, then narcs came like 20 minutes later... but they couldnt cross over the tracks... we ran

[83.]

Originally posted by LateNightThrillz@Apr 8 2005, 02:06 PM

we were hitting freights, not a yard just a line

and he kept going, then braking, going then braking, it was annoying as hell, then narcs came like 20 minutes later... but they couldnt cross over the tracks... we ran

Quoted post

narcs? police? bulls>? workers? goblins? trolls? leprechauns riding unicorns?

[Schnitzel]

Kabar

Thanks for this thread it's an awesome read it's taken me nearly two weeks of work time to get through it.

 

This might be a really dumb question but I'm wondering what would happen if some body died in the hobo Jungles? say an older guy died from a heart attack, old age etc? I figure it varies depending on the situation but have you ever encountered or heard something about that.

 

I'm just asking because there seems to be an ettiquette to eveything in the jungle. I figure that out there must be some guys that have turned their backs on the standard world and dispensed with things such as social security numbers that eventually would have no other family other than the people they would ride with and I'm curious?

 

This thread deals with such an interesting view of life and I wonder what happens at the end..

 

thanks

[southrngent]

Down here in the southeast the homeless dudes around the tracks are working with the railcops. Some of them are local dudes that dont travel, but even the ones that do ride the lines (they have told me) have also been informing the law about writers. In the last year or so the homeless population has seen a dramatic increase in this area. With one of the largest homeless population in the country, the local authorities have chased these folks to the trackside areas. Here is where the problem effects us, the rail and local cops have allowed these folks to live in the camps by the tracks if they inform. Now verbal confrontations, narkings and even arrests are common in places where everyone used to keep to themselves. Times are a changing when the law breakers themselves are calling the law :huh2: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KaBar2]

I've known a few tramps that are veterans that always have a dog tag laced up in their right bootlaces. It's a tradition from the Vietnam War. I suppose many a young soldier has realized that his greatest fear turned out to be not death, but being lost forever and never returning Home. They wore their dog tags around their neck, and another dog tag under their right bootlace, with the bootlace covering the dog tag. The Graves Registration guys knew to always look at the right boot, if they couldn't find the dog tags and chain around the guy's neck, or if he was maimed so badly that there was no neck or head, from an explosion or fire.

 

The older tramps know that if they die on a freight train or in a jungle, most likely whoever finds them is going to rob the body of any money, identification, Social Security Card, Driver's License, etc. The I.D. and the Social Security card can be used to double-dip Food Stamps and welfare. In fact, the alleged main motivation behind the "railroad murders" perpetuated by Robert "Sidetrack" Silveria was to steal I.D. so that he could collect the victims' monthly checks. Some old hobos are getting Social Security checks, Food Stamps (well, these days it's a sort of credit card deal.) A lot of them carry a post card or something like that sewed into a pocket with their name, address of their family, telephone numbers, etc. on it, so if they get killed, they won't be anonymous.

 

You can buy dog tags at a lot of Army surplus stores. They will custom print whatever you want on them. I just wear my Marine Corps dog tags.

 

Disposing of a body without informing the authorities is a misdemeanor at least, in virtually every state. So if somebody checks out on a train, or in the jungle, his buddies usually go through his gear, remove anything valuable or incriminating or embarrassing to his family, leave the body there, go to a pay phone and call the cops, and then disappear.

The cops come out, investigate the death, call the coroner, and then usually cremate the body so it can be shipped UPS or U.S. Postal Service to the dead guy's family. The families are usually too poor to come get Uncle Bob or whatever. If the family doesn't want the body, or can't afford to bury the guy, the County where he died buries him in a pauper's grave, usually six or eight to the grave, in plywood coffins, and marked with a number.

 

If the guy is a well-known tramp, or if his family wants him buried in Britt, they hold the ashes until the Convention in August, and the ashes of people who "caught the westbound" are interred under hobo-made concrete grave markers at the Memorial Service. It's a time-honored tradition, Texas Mad Man and Preacher Steve pour the markers themselves. There's about twenty tramps or so, both men and women, buried up at Britt at the National Hobo Memorial. For homeguards or part-timers, the cost is about $300, still very inexpensive in terms of a funeral expense.

[Schnitzel]

Cheers for that KaBar2!

 

I know it was kind of a dumb question but I had to ask.

[REVOLVER]

CHECK HER OUT!!!!!!!

 

http://www.freeipods.com/?r=17653707

[El Jefe Uno]

once again another quick question.. what exactly is a caddillac grainer? any flicks of em?

[DankRoller]

KABAR....WHATS THE DEAL WITH STREAKERS WITH WEIRD NAMES LIKE LONG LONSOME LENNY OR HAS LIKE OTHER STUFF LIEK A GUY HOPPIGN A TRAIN....OR A THING THAT SAID EMPORER OF THE NORTH POLE. I SAW A MOVIE ABOUT SOME HOBOS THAT WAS AWSOME. HAD AN OLD DUDE TEACHIGN A YOUNGER GUY ABOUT HOPW TO RIDE THE RAILS...THEY GREASSED THE RAILS SO THE TRAIN WOULD SLIP AND STAY IN PLACE SO THEY COULD GET ON IT. CAN THIS HAPPEN..WAS THIS A WAY TO HOP TRIANS BACK THEN.

[KaBar2]

RiSC---

 

Unfortunately, no, I don't have any photos of Cadillac grainers, but when you see one, you'll recognize it. The sides of the tanks are smooth and curved (no ribs), similar to an ACF CenterFlo hopper, but instead of being cut down at an angle, forming the "A" and "B" porches (the "B" end has the brake gear, the "A" end has all the room, and both ends have a grainer hole to hide in) a Cadillac grainer has side walls that almost enclose the porches on both ends. The side walls provide concealment from trackside on-lookers and weather protection. There is even a "window" so you can see out.

 

The porch on a Cadillac grainer is wide and unemcumbered with any gear. You can roll out your bindle. Stretch and me and Burlington could have all three slept side-by-side on the floor of a Cadillac. We had Graincar George with us too, though, so we had to sit on our rucks and sleep sitting up.