Interview of Freight Train Riders. (Not for Publication) 010813

Two freight train riders bound for another destination. Listen to their stories. Two young fellows that like freedom, the vistas of the USA and money.

[@sheilamarshall6377]

My son Fred is now home with his family in Ca. and very loved.Fred has a lot of heart

[@PoshyX]

+Sheila Marshall PRAISE BE TO FRED!

[@atravelerofbothtimespace4172]

Cheers Fred!🤘🏽❤️

[@ckennedy109637]

Respect to Fred

[@adksherm]

Sooooo happy to read this

[@jonnymoka]

I am so glad to hear, I have been in the streets since my fiancé died.

[@lolotriplett]

I know the guy on our left. He is a real good dude.

[@JawTooth]

I love these type videos. Hobos rock!!

[@pavlo3511]

Jaw Tooth look up ftra

[@caleb88scott]

i did this today. whent downtown and interviewed some train hopping street kids. it was amazing they smoked weed with me and introduced me to their ways. ive never been too far from train hopping

[@alexandercosteines4619]

I did this for many years. You rarely will see anymore hoppers that are my age (50). When I did this, I had no parents to put me up when it was cold, no handouts of warm wool socks, and in the 80s definitely few bleeding hearts. There's no future in it because we don't think about the future. I was never a drug addict, thief. I however did become one. When I was pretty much run into retirement by the newer crews. Sedentary got there best of me. Now I'm pretty much a homebum up here outside NYC where I'm from. I'm hoping that things get better for me, but if not I'm riding out. Preferably bus. Something legal. My mindset had changed and my health has naturally progressed into that of late middle age that never too care of themselves. Jesus Christ what am I gonna tell my story,?! Lol. Just brought me back dudes. Ride on. These kids seem like decent guys. Trust me there's some real dirtbag criminals out there. But the majority are just beggers hustlers tramps. That don't mean they gonna rob you or worse. We were mostly thrown away as teens. I been a loner in the road since 1983. They call me Slim Katz from the Bridge. Take care.

[@atravelerofbothtimespace4172]

cheers Slim ...hope u feel better.much love brother❤️👍🏻

[@skylarmallette7818]

Xana XXpose hey, I’m in college and I have to do an interview with someone who is or used to be a train hopper, maybe you could email me and I could email you some questions if you’re up for it? Thanks in advance! My email is [e-mail]

[@dirtygrimerxr7026]

You Familiar with FTRA then ye

[@macofalltrades6396]

There was a whole swath of Gen-X age hoboes who got wiped out in the silent meth/opioid epidemics. Addictive personalities gravitate toward this type of life. Shoestring is almost singular for his generation.

[@viperrr6886]

Goodluck!

[@clems6989]

These people are "REAL". Take them as they are and be glad you had the good fortune if meeting them .

[@GF-nm1cl]

Eh

[@MrIrishGreen]

Bob Dylan was born in Duluth Minnesota not Virginia He was raised in Hibbing Minnesota

[@clintgaines8392]

im from minneapolis, jobs are easy to get, the weed is potent and everyone smokes it

[@OhDearestOne]

I stopped in the Fargo area, so so so many jobs its great, and if I ever want or need to leave, trains are plentiful here. Mn, nd is where its at!

[@johnjacobs3222]

Thanks for sharing this video Ben. These seem like 2 interesting and fine young men who know what its like to be free and enjoy their surroundings.

[@seanm123451]

They seem more like 2 losers with interestingly pathetic lives that know a lot of useless stuff about cities

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

Love these guys. Livin' the free life! Thanks for posting.

[@Zepster77]

2:12-2:15 truer words never were spoken

[@zachadelic8110]

Maaan pretty sure I met Fred in Minneapolis when I was a crust punk kid and used to take in all sorts of kids from the rails. Either Animal House or The Laberynth or The Cube (different punk houses)...so familiar.

[@echoelliot3366]

Bob is from Duluth/Hibbing.

[@huhhuh2035]

Freddie !!! Ha ha I just reconized you....meet u in Minneapolis back in 2011

[@UradUmas]

cool documentary bro!

[@mikefisher5686]

I road the train from Ontario to B.C in the winter fuck was it cold

[@viperrr6886]

Awesome

[@RogerSteinbrinkh2oBrother]

Dylan's from Hibbing, Mn.

[@FranklinParkIL]

I stand corrected. You and the others that say Hibbing are correct.

[@jpmowa]

one time i was all trashed and almost jumped a train but i came to my senses i didnt have any money maybe if i lose my job in the future ill try it again

[@Standoman6546]

You don't need money, just a sharpie.

[@macofalltrades6396]

I'm eight months from retirement with full pension. I can still run pretty well, and aside from chicken and cheese I'm vegan. I'd better give up booze before retirement or else I might get crazy enough to try this.

[@skullclot420]

You just called yourself vegan except for chicken and cheese, i think you are delusional enough to think you can do anything

[@alexsanchez6727]

Have u been to Barstow California ?

[@MsAdventure531]

Bob Dylan is from a Hibbing, MN

[@COVIDpanic]

@2:08 - what I particularly love is he says he loves the South and the begins with Kentucky. hahaah it's a northern State man. Alabama...um...he says he's been to 30 States and his favorite are in the South. he names four, but "not Florida Florida sucks". If he'd have come to Louisiana (northwestern to be specific) he'd have started with Louisiana and not Florida. Hobos who are serious riders know they can come to Shreveport for a hot meal and a legal squat. Shreveport Police will call Dirt-Life Ministries Rev. Robbins (yours truly) and if the offense is simple trespass or loitering they are released into ministry custody, no jail. And on their way next hop out. It's not uncommon to find them just roaming around. They like to hop trains and it becomes habit just like anything we do. Thanks to Ben for posting this video. Great work. God bless the travelers.

[@COVIDpanic]

@3:10 - I've met some pretty rough dudes and some fairly decent men. Respectful all to some extent, others completely free, one down right crude - an FTRA member named Ocean. Good lord I love that guy!. Such a tormented soul and a tender-heart. nasty, vulgar and vile and a sweet lovable joker. He's a pushover, but he'll knock you into the ground. He was pushed from a moving train and took a train across the face, survived, and had tracks tatted on his face. This guy is like the Marvel Juggernaut; unstoppable. Ocean has been in and out of every spot across this country. He's told me, you can get misplaced and end up stranded in the middle of the middle of nowhere. out of luck. Those packs sometimes are all that saves your life. Ocean was stripped of all his belongings and his dog and thrown off a train. Basically, left for dead.

[@ramsesgomez7243]

I work an Office job... Make good money...and sometimes i just want to leave all that ..and go train hopping..

[@kalanyou3275]

Love you Fred

[@jessicagrady7487]

Definitely want to do this

[@DougCeleste]

+Jessica Grady Be careful what you wish for and know the dangers before you ever consider trying. And have a good lawyer if you try and then get caught.

[@mr16325]

Doug Celeste don't worry they normally warn you

[@ouzathemogul3407]

Jessica Grady let’s do it been a dream of mine for so long romeoh313@gmail

[@soldav4830]

I live in La Crosse. They just shut down the homeless camps this summer.

[@dwscott222]

Like what they have said about Lincoln, Nebraska :) although Shoestring doesn't seem to like it lol Have to admire it! Its freedom and adventure on the fringe of society. Modern urban survival at its finest! hobolists.com -DW Scott

[@macofalltrades6396]

Fred has what looks like a Stobe pack.

[@sorrycharlie5773]

I think I know you guys..😘

[@candenscales6855]

haha they are awesome!

[@dirtygrimerxr7026]

OY!!!

[@DevRel1]

These guys do not for a minute look like train riders.

[@JJA_88]

I wonder if they are still alive?

[@livid8517]

Yes fred is still alive. He’s in atwater california.

[@InfamousMedia]

cool dudes

[@sorrycharlie5773]

Cute Norwegian girl..😍

[@gemons8]

Minneapolis is the Bomb!

[@Jerejohn91]

Hibbing pride

[@swx1216]

How many are serial killers? They had the one that would go from panama to canada killing and they have the beast of the andes.

[@IHaveNoNameRawr]

You do realize the vast majority of serial killers WEREN'T train hoppers...

[@dashiellcollopy4301]

Yeah and how many priests were child molesters? there are bad seeds in every aspect of life

[@bonson9156]

theres alot of info on google im sure

[@JohnDoe-jt9oq]

@@dashiellcollopy4301 3%

[@kwakkwak5940]

Beavis and Buthead..

[@ThinkingCap_]

I like your picture

[@William0695]

Train raiders

[@koshermoses393rogue8]

Fucking oogles

[@dragmyre]

karma.

[@greatunz67]

This is 10 years ago, i bet these two dudes are either in jail or dead by now.

[@qman5948]

Ftra for life

[@rickallen6378]

What's your problem bitch?

[@eagleone9574]

Ship by truck. Trains R 2 slow and unreliable. For you "bo's", just strap yourselves to a turtles back.

[@zach6521]

lol, when did 'steady like the trucker' become a saying? a single train does the equiv to 250 truckers on the road. trains are much more reliable :)

[@robertyoung7823]

Take the FTRA very seriously, we are good men but if you cross us you could die literally. We are still very much active 2022

[@skullclot420]

How to join

[@88dillonzo]

Where are some good places to board a train?

[@mr16325]

Doug Malone look for yards where the trains are stationary those are good places

[@thecheeseburglar8544]

Ask around fkr that uhh crew change handbook. Its got plenty of detail as to where and when trains stop for a crew change. Or look up on foamer websites, they give a pretty good idea as to where and what type of trains come and go

[@Island_Line_Rail_Productions]

at any train station, with your ticket in hand

[@AnonyMous-bv3ge]

@@Island_Line_Rail_Productions but you can't board a freight train with a ticket... Since they don't have tickets for freight trains...