rSupertramp Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Damn straight, I won't be eating any wild roots though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaBar2 Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Well, here's some advice. Start at the front of this thread and read the whole thing. It took us about eight years to write, so it ought to take you two or three days to read. Then go online and try to find a copy of Duffy Littlejohn's "Hopping Freight Trains in America." Read it a couple of times. Then go online and look for the copy of the Crew Change Guide that that worthless buddy-fucking shitbag, Ray Tylicki, put on the internet. As long as it's there you might as well use it. Buy some railroad maps off of eBay (I'd look for Union Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and Canadian National, personally) or buy a copy of the Professional Railroad Atlas from DeskMap.com. That one will cost you about $75. Or just find yourself an experienced rider and go catch out with him. Or her. Over the years we've explained "How to hop a freight train" on this thread about fifty times, so read the thread. It's on here if you care to look for it. One more thing: don't commit any felonies or you will never get to be an attorney. And you need to understand that the most dangerous thing about trainhopping is that it's addictive and you may not ever want to quit. It's like smoking. We all say we're gonna quit, but nobody does until it's too late. (BTW, "Supertramp" is a name pretty much reserved for Christopher McCandless, who died in the Alaskan wilderness of starvation. He called himself Alexander Supertramp. Read "Into The Wild" and take heed. Jon Krakauer was mistaken--they searched for, but could not find, any poisonous plants within a mile or so of McCandless' camp. Most likely he just died of starvation. And foolishness. TAKE A MAP.) Good luck. K-Bar, in Houston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Hello. Thank you for everything you have all put into this. Does anybody have any tips on catching out from Bakerfield, CA to Boston, MA?? I'm between semesters at law school and I need something like this to keep life real. I know you guys have logged a lot of miles and hours... and I realize I need to put in my time, as well, and I do have time to get lost a little bit, but I was wondering if I could learn from any of your guys' mistakes or wisdom on this ride. Thank you. -R. Supertramp Good thing you have time to get lost because tryin to cover that distance with no experience is pretty much doomed to fail. although bakersfield is one of the easiest places to get on a train ive ever been through. so youll at least have a good start. send me a pm and we can discuss such things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuengling Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Kabar - I nearly registered this account just to comment here and get the opportunity to talk to you. I've probably read through this entire thread over 100 times, and have been lurking on it for quite some time (I think I discovered it around 2006). I just wanted to say that your knowledge, stories, and honesty have been very humbling, uplifting, and inspiring. I wish I could sit down and drink a beer or two with you, and just listen. I would learn more talking to you than I did on the Tropicana train from Richmond Va to Florida (that was the only train I ever hopped, hoping travel more in the future but I am terribly uneducated on the subject). This post is merely pointless, other than the fact that I wanted to say keep being you man. I wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors. -C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 you learn more doing it than talking about doing it. if you made it from rva down to florida what more do you need to know? must have done it right. you got there. didnt get killed. didnt get kicked off and arrested. you went to a spot got on a train and rode it. now keep doing it and youll figure out that riding trains isnt hard at all. all it takes is some common sense and patience. a map or 2 and ccg dont hurt but arent necessary. ha. but kabar is a pretty swell dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaShizzle Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Bump this whole thread. This is something I've always wanted to do, but didn't want to just attempt it with no prior knowledge. Now I have a list of books, tips, and tricks thanks to y'all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xen Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I spent a long time being a true bum but got my bearings as to how to survive on the streets on my own. From there I took up hitch hiking and figured out that every city is the same as well as the importance of having a good knife within reach at all times. I read this thread from page one, found out I wouldn't be looked upon as a total piece of shit for downloading a CCG (2006 is still floating around. Times may be different but the yard locations are there) got on a train and didn't look back. It is an addiction. Kabar gives the technical and rolling nowhere gives the real. Just do it man. Read this thread, Read this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuengling Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 you learn more doing it than talking about doing it. if you made it from rva down to florida what more do you need to know? must have done it right. you got there. didnt get killed. didnt get kicked off and arrested. you went to a spot got on a train and rode it. now keep doing it and youll figure out that riding trains isnt hard at all. all it takes is some common sense and patience. a map or 2 and ccg dont hurt but arent necessary. ha. but kabar is a pretty swell dude. Reading is like the structure of a building, and doing the action fills in all the gaps, windows, and carpets. It is all part of the challenge of learning how to do something. I did do it right, but mostly because of the people I was with. They all departed and continued their travels after taking me back to RVA, so I don't have that awesome hospitality and experience on my side anymore. And about the CCG - can't believe someone leaked it to the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 well i dont think riding trains is something you can read about and learn how to do. i think youve got it all backwards.you might be able to grab a little piece here and there on this thread or from a book but if you want to know how to do this you have to go do it ive said it before..until youre out there doing it you dont know shit! i read the books. i read this thread. i wanted to go hop trains back in the mid 90s but didnt do it. i learned a lot of stuff about trains and the railroads and how yards work. but when i finally got on a train i didnt know what the hell i was doing. other than common sense stuff like dont crawl under trains and step on couplers all that jazz. but everything i know abouot riding trains i learned from getting on them. sitting in woods waiting. finiding the best spot to wait where ever i am. there is no book that will teach you how to be a train hopper. or a person. you have to teach yourself. i meet train hoppers all the time who have been riding years longer than me and they dont know what the fuck theyre talking about when it comes to legit info on spots and how to get from here to there wherever that might be. i could tell you how to get from houston to chicago to portland to la and back to houston in 4 trains. exactly where to sit. exactly what to do. what to look for. even about what time your train will leave each of those places. but then what have you really learned about how to ride trains? i dont know. people rely on the internet too much these days. gone soft. always lookin for a hand to hold to take them somewhere. everyone needs help gets lost whatever. iask for info on here sometimes. but when it comes down to it i got it covered. ill still get lost and get on the wrong train but ill go and get on one either way and make it happen. the way i see it is like this: if you cant figure it out then dont bother. if you need to be told to pick up your garbage and dont take a shit 5 ft from where we are sleeping. dont bother. do some other shit. this aint for you. this is for anyone reading it. as usual... if you wanna learn to ride trains..GO RIDE SOME FUCKIN TRAINS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivouno Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 rolling im moving to san antonio this week, you are in houston right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 rolling im moving to san antonio this week, you are in houston right? yessir. ill probably be in sa sometime real soon too. gonna go on some short train rides and make some money. cuz im a hustler baaaaby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaBar2 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 If you've never seen one, this is a cotton hook. It was (maybe still is, for all I know) used to muscle 600-lb. cotton bales around inside of a cargo freighter's hold. Unloading cotton is pretty straightforward, t doesn't really require a skilled longshore gang to unload. But loading it in there to start with requires some people who actually know what they're doing. The bales weigh a lot more than a man, so the longshoreman must know how to balance and move the bales around to pack them in the hold tight as a frog's ass. There should be very little room (like "no" room) between the bales. The men stick the cotton hook in the bale to get a purchase on it to keep it balanced. Sometimes two guys work together, but eventually it gets to a point where only one man has enough room to work. Those cotton hooks make horrible weapons, too. The thought of getting stuck with one makes my skin crawl. Imagine a huge brawl between strikers and scabs, with both sides armed with cotton hooks, knives and dunnage timber. Horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 i dunno that hook looks scary but if you think about it i dont think it would make a great weapon. seems like it wouldnt be sturdy enough in your hand unless you could crush diamonds with your grip. haha. unless my train goes back in time i dont think i need to worry about a cotton hook. now a junkie piece of shit with a dirty needle..TERRIFYING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryletters Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 anybody here going to be in Sydney Montana for beets this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 anybody here going to be in Sydney Montana for beets this year? never made it up there for beets. friends would always come back with some loot though. i prefer payment for art faggotry myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xen Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 http://bronksknifeworks.com/railroad-spike.htm Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 that old ft worth bull is a nice dude. cool. yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaBar2 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Xen--- I have a railroad spike knife like that. I traded a guy for it at the Houston Gun Show. It's a pretty cool knife. It was billed as a "Hog Hunting Knife". Why they called it that I'm not exactly sure, but I can tell you that it is sharp as hell. The sheath was bunk, though. I'm going to make another sheath for it out of saddle leather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xen Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Maybe as a take on a "pig sticker" or "an Arkansas Toothpick - Razorbacks? Dude puts a lot of effort into it so I am sure it's worth the $200 he's asking for them. I just have a hard time giving up $200 for anything that doesn't involve bills these days. Yep, still as cheap as I can be. Old habits die hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaShizzle Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 The sheath was bunk, though. I'm going to make another sheath for it out of saddle leather. I have a brother that makes custom boots, saddles, belts, etc. Could get him to do it, if you don't have a guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nnout Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 hope to make it in to savannah GA tomorrow sometime[saten willing] any tips..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling nowhere Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 get on a train going to savannah... get off in savannah? walk around. check shit out. dont be a dumb scum fuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaShizzle Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 hope to make it in to savannah GA tomorrow sometime[saten willing] any tips..... Read the other 88 pages first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimer Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 keep it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nnout Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 get on a train going to savannah... get off in savannah? walk around. check shit out. dont be a dumb scum fuck. savannah was to clean not to much fun for a scumbag of my stranded but not bad i was looking for tips like soup kitchens ect. but oh well left today made it to Atlanta like this better i like grime better for the graff n dance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garth brooks Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 ahh, a soup kitchen kid...:rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaBar2 Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I just had a call from Stretch. He and Burl are in a rail yard up north, about to catch out towards Minnie with a French film crew. He's taking them to go see King Frog in Minnie. Man!---the weather's good, they have plenty of money and plenty of chow. I wish I was there too. Sucks to be me today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xen Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I feel your pain brother. My hopping buddy just made it into boston from LA with plans to head down to Florida. I love my boring, normal married life but god damn, I wish I was out there. My wife considers my going back out on the road as an either or situation so I guess I am done. For now. Hook up a link to the flick when it's done. And get Stretch a fucking camera so the Train Hopping flicks page will have some new content :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazaar Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 saw this sort of thing mentioned a page or two back. I made these last summer - all hand forged from single rr spikes: bottle openers: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xen Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Damn I wish I had the equipment to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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