# MARK NICHOLS AKA HOBO SHOESTRING HAS GONE MISSING



## wizehop (Oct 24, 2017)

Anyone seen ol' Shoestring??

https://www.shreveportnews.com/news...-gone-missing-from-shreveport-since-oct-18th/

*MARK NICHOLS AKA HOBO SHOESTRING HAS GONE MISSING FROM SHREVEPORT SINCE OCT 18TH*
Posted by Joseph Lafave | Oct 24, 2017 |







Mark Nichols prefers to go by the name “Hobo Shoestring” and he is freight train hopper. It means he rides around from place to place, stowing away on board trains. He has a modest social media following and regularly uploads videos to his YouTube channel as well as his Facebook.

All of that stopped on October 18th, and since then no one has heard from him. His closest friend, a man who wishes to be identified only as “John” says that this is completely unlike Shoestring.

“I met him when I was a train-rider back In New Orleans, in 1993. We’ve been in touch every few days since then,” John said.

People from all over have been looking for Shoestring since he disappeared. He has a community of followers and supporters from all over the country. Some are fellow hobos, others are just people who like watching his YouTube videos. All of them are concerned now for his well being. People in different cities who are inside the hobo community have been talking to each other, looking for any sign of Shoestring.





Mark Nichols aka Shoestring Hobo – Missing from Shreveport Louisiana since October 18th, 2017

“It’s such a fascinating community, and they watch out for each other. They all talk to each other and look out for one another.” Said Wendy, who is a follower of Shoestring’s.


Shoestring was last known to be in Shreveport, under the Common St. overpass. He posted a picture from that location ay 5:50 pm Wednesday the 18th.

John said he fears the worst. According to him, Someone called him from Shoestring’s phone, and said they needed $50 to give Shoestring his phone back. The caller stated he had bought the phone from a person named “Dominic”. John asked the caller if he knew anything about Shoestring’s location, but the caller denied knowing who Shoestring was. The only thing the caller did confirm was that he was calling from somewhere in Shreveport.

Since then, no one has been able to contact Shoestring, although someone is checking his Facebook messages. John says that even if the phone was stolen, Shoestring knows how to go to public libraries and use the internet, so he can’t understand why his friend hasn’t reached out to him yet.

The only other clues are three YouTube videos that have been uploaded since Shoestring’s disappearance. The first video shows an unidentified male laying on a bed. You can hear the male saying “5 minutes brother and it’s over. Seven till ten and fifteen hours.”



No one knows what that means, but one thing his followers are sure of, the man in the video is not Shoestring. The second video is only a few seconds long and shows someone watching the television. The third video is the same as the first.

The community is searching for answers, but so far has come up empty. Several people on his YouTube channel have commented that they are coming to Shreveport to help look for Shoestring. No one is sure if a missing persons report has been filed with Shreveport Police or not.

Shoestring is a 47 year old Caucasian male. He has short greying hair and a very long grey beard. He has two tattoos, one on each arm. He is approximately six feet tall and weighs approximately 160 lbs. Shoestring’s friends ask if you see him to comment on his YouTube page.


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## Art101 (Oct 24, 2017)

Dude bad scene.Saw this posted elsewhere crossing fingers he's ok.


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## Deleted member 8978 (Oct 24, 2017)

It is hard to imagine a legendary freight train rider going missing while a bunch of crackheads keep manipulating him like a dog by messing with his stuff - including his phone.


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## PAN AM HOBO (Oct 24, 2017)

Hobos go missing alot i hope mark is fine


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## Tude (Oct 24, 2017)

Was just going to post this. Very cool. His being out of touch for this long of time is highly unlike him. There are two people on their way to Shreveport atm to try and find. It's also been spread across the media channels and I'm sure his family has been contacted. We are hoping for the best here.

<edit> there are several people there right now looking for him.


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## Dmac (Oct 24, 2017)

Shoestring has had a lot of medical problems, maybe he is in a hospital? Hope they find him. he and I used to talk a lot.


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## Tude (Oct 24, 2017)

hospitals - especially the VA's where he frequents have been searched and alerted. Missing persons report filed 6:30 pm est also


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## HayleezKomet (Oct 24, 2017)

so sorry 2 hear this  i truely hope hes found!


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## Tude (Oct 25, 2017)

Update: A reporter has been in touch with the John mentioned above. Detectives are also directed to call John as John has pics of his tats for identification, if it comes to that. FYI - Mark aka Shoestring was one of the people in the "King of the Rails" documentary that was shown at last year's STP Jamboree at the Slabs.


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## Deleted member 16034 (Oct 25, 2017)

He looks ridiculously familiar. How likely would it have been for him to have gone to NOLA?


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## Doobie_D (Oct 25, 2017)

Sadly the "John" they are referring to is "kool breeze" aka crazy cooter, aka John burns, aka etc. Dude is a piece. But fingers are crossed for mark to be safe.


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## Tude (Oct 25, 2017)

@wizehop

UPDATE: FOUND!! He's in a hospital in Pittsburg, KS - hit by a train. No wonder home bums had his phone - his stuff must be strewn on the tracks. 

https://www.newstalkkzrg.com/2017/10/25/man-recovering-after-hit-by-train/

UPDATE: Pittsburg Police have identified Mark Nichols, 47, as the man hit by the train. He was issued a summons for trespassing on Kansas City Southern property.

A man, whose name has not yet been released, is recovering after he was hit by a train early Wednesday morning in Pittsburg. Around 4 am, Pittsburg Police were called to a house on the 3100 block of Scotty Drive where a man was asking for help for injuries to his hand. The man was then transported to a Pittsburg hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. According to police, the man was trespassing on Kansas City Southern property when the accident happened. News Talk KZRG will bring you more information as details are released.
___________________________________

so he was jumping off - was wondering on or off.

http://www.fox14tv.com/story/36683358/man-injured-while-jumping-off-train#.WfEF-oJPL6E.facebook

*Man Injured While Jumping Off Train*
_Updated: Oct 25, 2017 4:28 PM EDT_

PITTSBURG, KANSAS -
On Wednesday Oct 25, 2017 at 4 AM Officers responded to a residence in the 3100 Block of Scotty Drive, for a report of an injured male seeking help from residents in that area. Mark Nicholas, 47, was determined to have been injured while jumping off of a moving Kansas City Southern Railroad train. 

The residents and arriving officers rendered 1st aid to Nichols' severely injured hand, prior to EMS's arrival. He was transported to Via Christi Hospital for non life threatening injuries. Nichols was issued a summons for Trespassing on Kansas City Southern Railroad property. 

The investigation into this incident is ongoing at this time. Anyone having information related to this incident, or other crimes please contact local authorities or Pittsburg Police Department 620-231-1700

__________________


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## MattpNOVA (Oct 25, 2017)

Glad to hear he's alive!


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## Tude (Oct 25, 2017)

@wizehop More updates:

Thought he was discharged but no. The hand injury is as it stated "severe".

Per John:

Mark Nichols shoestring is in Kansas City at a hospital. He slipped on ice hopping off a train and severely injured his left hand, resulting in the need for multiple surgeries. He lost 2 fingers they couldn't save and is scheduled for additional surgery on Friday to see if they can save the remaining 3 fingers. I spoke with him and he was so relieved that I could let everyone know that he's alive. He's going to need a lot of rest and his recovery will be lengthy.


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## deleted user (Oct 25, 2017)

I don't know what to say. Hope he is ok. Wow just wow seems to be more to this story though.


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## ntdxc1878 (Oct 25, 2017)

WOW I am so glad he was found. Was really expecting the worst. Is it just me or is the story not quite adding up? Did he get off the train and then slip on ice and fall back into the train's path where it ran through his hand? Otherwise I'm not really understanding. Thank you @Tude for the updates!!!


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## Hazardoussix6six (Oct 25, 2017)

alive, all that matters in the end...or not the end in this case.


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## Dmac (Oct 26, 2017)

Found in a hospital, Yea! Sounds like it could have easily been much worse, glad it wasn't. I do wonder where you could find ice to slip on, outside in Kansas right now?


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## Tude (Oct 26, 2017)

Dmac said:


> Found in a hospital, Yea! Sounds like it could have easily been much worse, glad it wasn't. I do wonder where you could find ice to slip on, outside in Kansas right now?



According to him - he was getting off moving train and the footing he used to get off had iced up


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## Popsicle (Oct 26, 2017)

I seen him in Texas 2 months ago ...glad he's safe . Road on finger strings


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## AlwaysLost (Oct 26, 2017)

Thank god for that.


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## anterrabae (Oct 26, 2017)

Yeah, doesnt take much to lose a limb in the wintertime. No matter who you are. 

Glad hes not been thug mugged somewhere in LA, hes no idiot. Thanks for updates Tude.


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## Deleted member 125 (Oct 27, 2017)

yikes just catching up on all of this now. yes @Tude he is a former king of the rails and the john people are speaking to is a all around shit person but from what i can tell is a close friend of shoestring so i dunno i guess hes got that going for him.

and im sure losing 2 fingers is a HUGE bummer but after riding as long and hard as this dude has been im surprised hes had all 10 this long! heres to hoping for a safe and quick recovery. dudes a real 'bo for sure.


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## Popsicle (Oct 28, 2017)

I wanna see proof of this shit . I've known SS FOR many years something about it don't sit right . I've texted him and no reply . He rolls with my boy at times and I don't believe it but other shit happens . Hung over looking out for my boy .


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## Deleted member 125 (Oct 28, 2017)

Popsicle said:


> I wanna see proof of this shit . I've known SS FOR many years something about it don't sit right . I've texted him and no reply . He rolls with my boy at times and I don't believe it but other shit happens . Hung over looking out for my boy .



maybe the reason he didnt reply when you texted is because he no longer has his phone?


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## Popsicle (Oct 29, 2017)

SlankyLanky said:


> maybe the reason he didnt reply when you texted is because he no longer has his phone?




I'll entertain that .


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## Matt Derrick (Oct 29, 2017)

moved to missed connections


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## Popsicle (Oct 29, 2017)

Matt Derrick said:


> moved to missed connections


Good call Matt !!!!!!!!


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## junkpolecat99 (Oct 29, 2017)

He's on my facebook friends list. He's a nice guy that I've chatted with before. Honestly, I wish people cared about me. I went to a psych hospital for 14 days and nobody noticed. Even my own brother and sister ignore me.
But losing 2 fingers and maybe the other 3? That's horrifying. He'll probably have to completely change his lifestyle now. FUCK! life can be depressing. I wish train-hopping wasn't so fucking dangerous. ARGGG!!!!!


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## Freerange (Nov 3, 2017)

He put up a video the other day that shows his remaining 3 digits and has some banter about his prognosis.


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