Freighthopping
 |
Freighthopping or train hopping is the act of surreptitiously hitching a ride on a railroad freight car. In the United States of America, this became a common means of transportation following the American Civil War as the railroads began pushing westward, especially among migrant workers who became known as 'hobos'. It continued to be widely used by those unable to afford other transportation, especially during times of widespread economic dislocation such as the Great Depression. Today, the practice is forbidden by statute in nearly all states.
In modern colloquial usage, though not very common, hopping a freight train is also known as "catching out" or "hopping out."
Many railroads take a strict view of people hopping freight trains, and employ railroad police, also known as "bulls", in an attempt to prevent the practice. Among other duties, railroad police are charged with preventing trespassing on railroad property, which includes freighthopping. Railroad police officers typically patrol in utility trucks, SUVs ("bullmobiles"), or even standard police cruisers. Railroad police are certified police officers and can enforce the appropriate laws in any jurisdiction the railroad owns property.
Decline of freighthopping
In recent decades, the traditional role of hobos as itinerant workers has fallen off, largely because of increasing prosperity. Most itinerant workers in modern times have automobiles and drive between jobs, alternatively they may use public transportation, and live in many types of temporary housing.
Increasingly, as seasonal agricultural work became the province of illegal immigrants, and other seasonal work became increasingly lucrative, freighthopping became mainly used by the homeless population, by thrill seekers, youths who have adopted the lifestyle as an expression of rebellion against society, and people who enjoy traveling across the countryside under the open air.
In recent years there has been an increase in crime targeted at the rail-riding homeless population and other freighthoppers by other itinerants. Retired Spokane police officer Bob Grandinetti attributes this largely to the rise of an itinerant group calling themselves the 'FTRA' or Freight Train Riders of America. Whether the FTRA is as violent as claimed by Grandinetti is in some dispute. Other increases in crime targeted at freighthoppers can be attributed to the general increase in violence and urban gang activity around train yards in such locations as Los Angeles.
Much of what has been written or publicized in TV media shows is fictionalized for shock value, this includes the A&E Channel attempting to shock the general public about the RAILROAD GANG which goes by the letters F.T.R.A. Attempting to decipher this anagram as FREIGHT TRAIN RIDERS OF AMERICA, the original organization was called F&%$ THE REGAN ADMINISTRATION, and was created to keep the old migratory laborer jungles alive for migrating railriders to camp safely in while pursuing temporary employment in various seasonal labor jobs.
The Sensationalized news accounts that permeate the airwaves about track side killings don't include that FACT that these killings also are situated in areas that has DAILY STREET GANG VIOLENCE. As a 40+ year hobo I have yet to see the Railroad murders that are attributed to Migratory Railriders, with the only exception to this being the boxcar killing in Grand Junction Colorado on the Rio Grande Railroad!
Texasmadman 18:42, 21 September 2007 (UTC)--Texasmadman 18:42, 21 September 2007 (UTC)