IP3 - A Short Course On How to Ride Freight Trains

Riding freight trains is a uniquely American but risky and underground activity with a long history, subculture and cadence all its own. Like anything worth doing in life, riding freight is fraught with potentially deadly risks, yet offers unbelieveablly vivid and exhilarating rewards. Railriders experience a degree of freedom and inner peace that has almost disappeared in today's society, and they routinely experience both urban and wilderness sights seldom seen by anyone else.

Against a backdrop of beautiful photography, this presentation provides a short overview of how to safely and successfully ride freight trains. It takes both a strategic and tactical approach on how to play the game successfully: "reading" trains; avoiding capture by authorities; using technology to track and predict railroad operations in real time; carrying appropriate gear; strategies for getting on and off trains; successfully dealing with railroad personnel; dealing with other hobos and tramps; and how to travel far and fast at minimal cost.

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People & Blogs

Tags:

• ignite
• portland
• ip3

[wizehop]

Train hopping is not political, its not an intellectual pursuit, it definitely has nothing to do with black history or liberation struggles. your rants ARE and I repeat self righteous masturbation. You my friend are watching the world through a window.

[slamminhole69]

people have to pay to go to a seminar to learn how to hop trains? seriously? america

[ironkatia]

@GunYou1 What are you talking about. Most tramps are friendly. You don't know how to walk in others shoes. Open up your heart.

[ironkatia]

Just what we need. More yuppie adventures getting cut up by trains and making the yard for risky for the people.

[groulxma]

I can't fucking believe this dude did this. Now theres another few hundred yuppie fucks fucking it up for the rest of the world.

[GunYou1]

oohhh look I'm hopping on a freight train I'm so risky and dangerous. When I'm out there, on the riogrande from colorado to mexico, if I see any of you hobos try to fuck with or kid me I will throw your ass either under or off of a train.

[PETR993]

I hope noone of you is so stupid to harzard with your life like not wearing warm clothes, dehydrating or jumping on or off intoxicated or very tired. I wish you the best wiews of sunrises and dusks, many miles or kilometres, safe trips and - yes a highball. If Mr. Northbankfred reads this - thank you for your webpage.

[PETR993]

Since than many things happened - I made a quite good career on freight railway incl. machanic, train driver, accident investigator up to senior sales manager. Allways when a freight train is passing by me it remebers me the age of being approx 20 years old. Sometimes I wish being younger and not known so I could easilly jump on. I understand why do you do, what your do.

[PETR993]

Inspired by Northbankfred's page I made with my friends several trips here in central Europe approx. 10 years ago. To compare it with US and Canadian - trains are much more faster (100 kph for regular trains, up to 120 for hotshots and intermodals). Allmost all tracks under overhead wire (3 to 25kVolts) - roof climbig = suicide. Very short distances between urban areas - trainhopers are safer when hidden.

[ElephantsWeep]

Thanks, but I haven't been the one laughing at your perspective or calling you pathetic or saying shut the fuck up with a clan of other riders beside me. That's exactly the kind of treatment that creates animosity between between who could change the world but instead get laughed at by people at George Bush who know we can't do anything effectively acting like kids who have zero respect for people who are more like us than we would ever imagine.

[wizehop]

Good luck with your crusade soldier