See if I can get this out before I stat to forget some of my night.
The last few days I have been thinking, and planning a train hop. Well last night I decided I wanted to get the feeling of my local train yard, which by the way is just a few blocks from my home, watching trains, getting the feel for the people in it. Just really getting to know the area.
I walked the few blocks to the first little area, not really a yard as one would call, but just another area for trains to be built up. Seeing the "No Trespassing: Property of BNSF" was amazingly gratifying. Letting me know I'm serious about hopping. I walked along the tracks till I continued to the spot I could walk to the real yard to get up and personal with the trains.
In the distance I could hear the thunderous noise of a train being built up. I just thought 'wow' , I've never paid that sound any attention. It was amazing. As I continued walking, I heard a train coming from the north track, I wasn't sure where it was going as I couldn't see it, I could only guess it was going to stop in the yard I was walking too.
I finally made it to the yard after passing by a few closed businesses, and jumping a fence or two. I could see the train that was being built earlier, and the train I heard from the north track, of course, wound up where I figured it would. Actually was impressed with my guess.
At first, I was very timid with being around the yard. I slowly snuck my way closer the the tracks. I didn't really give it much thought, but knew I was very close the the main office. Which was very novice of me, as I was thinking where I was would be a great place to catch out, not a very smart place. I found myself just on the outside of another "no trespassing" sign, standing on a concrete pad with a huge concrete block to hide behind.
The train I heard coming in was still going by, must have been doing 10 or 15 mph, it was a container, or piggyback train. Coming in from Seattle is my best guess, as I live in Spokane.
A few hours went by, along with a few trains, two coal trains, two amtrak. And I was getting acclimated to the sounds and things of the yard. Really something I've never done before, was really humbling, as I felt like I was very small against these trains.
I managed to get in on unit of a train being built up, that was an amazing feeling. I've never stepped on a train, and hearing and feeling the rumble of that huge engine, oh man very intense! I'm thinking there was a camera, because just as I stepped into the cab, on the radio "there's someone in the west side", I got off the train pretty quick after that, not even a minute after I scurried to the bridge over the train, lights from a four wheeler (one of the ones with two seats and a cab) we moving pretty fast to the unit! Just dropped the conductor off the stay with the unit.
A few minutes went by, I made my way off the bridge back on the yard since I saw a train coming from the west track, nothing surprising, only an amtrak. But coming from the east track, was a piggyback train. Got excited because I saw it as a chance to attempt hopping a train!
It got close and slowed, so I walked a long side grabbed the ladder and climbed up! Wow feeling the power was very intense, never felt anything like that before. It came to a stop, the jolt shocked me, was a very big feeling, again making me feel so insignificant. I just stayed on to get the sounds and feeling of brakes off and rolling. A few minutes passed, and I heard the pressure in the air lines increase, and the sound of the breaks releasing. I was ready for the big jolt again, but it didn't come, just smooth motion. Really an amazing experience for me, I hopped off right before it really stated getting going. I ran next aside it to know what was too fast to get on, I don't plan in hopping a moving train, even a light jog seemed faster than was safe.
So really kind of my introduction. I'm just starting to get in the motion of hopping. Would like to see what its like squatting and the sort. Seems I fall in the category of people who really don't want one place, and the life of stability. Only for now though. I have a few trips planned. Nothing big to start, just small line trains for now.
The last few days I have been thinking, and planning a train hop. Well last night I decided I wanted to get the feeling of my local train yard, which by the way is just a few blocks from my home, watching trains, getting the feel for the people in it. Just really getting to know the area.
I walked the few blocks to the first little area, not really a yard as one would call, but just another area for trains to be built up. Seeing the "No Trespassing: Property of BNSF" was amazingly gratifying. Letting me know I'm serious about hopping. I walked along the tracks till I continued to the spot I could walk to the real yard to get up and personal with the trains.
In the distance I could hear the thunderous noise of a train being built up. I just thought 'wow' , I've never paid that sound any attention. It was amazing. As I continued walking, I heard a train coming from the north track, I wasn't sure where it was going as I couldn't see it, I could only guess it was going to stop in the yard I was walking too.
I finally made it to the yard after passing by a few closed businesses, and jumping a fence or two. I could see the train that was being built earlier, and the train I heard from the north track, of course, wound up where I figured it would. Actually was impressed with my guess.
At first, I was very timid with being around the yard. I slowly snuck my way closer the the tracks. I didn't really give it much thought, but knew I was very close the the main office. Which was very novice of me, as I was thinking where I was would be a great place to catch out, not a very smart place. I found myself just on the outside of another "no trespassing" sign, standing on a concrete pad with a huge concrete block to hide behind.
The train I heard coming in was still going by, must have been doing 10 or 15 mph, it was a container, or piggyback train. Coming in from Seattle is my best guess, as I live in Spokane.
A few hours went by, along with a few trains, two coal trains, two amtrak. And I was getting acclimated to the sounds and things of the yard. Really something I've never done before, was really humbling, as I felt like I was very small against these trains.
I managed to get in on unit of a train being built up, that was an amazing feeling. I've never stepped on a train, and hearing and feeling the rumble of that huge engine, oh man very intense! I'm thinking there was a camera, because just as I stepped into the cab, on the radio "there's someone in the west side", I got off the train pretty quick after that, not even a minute after I scurried to the bridge over the train, lights from a four wheeler (one of the ones with two seats and a cab) we moving pretty fast to the unit! Just dropped the conductor off the stay with the unit.
A few minutes went by, I made my way off the bridge back on the yard since I saw a train coming from the west track, nothing surprising, only an amtrak. But coming from the east track, was a piggyback train. Got excited because I saw it as a chance to attempt hopping a train!
It got close and slowed, so I walked a long side grabbed the ladder and climbed up! Wow feeling the power was very intense, never felt anything like that before. It came to a stop, the jolt shocked me, was a very big feeling, again making me feel so insignificant. I just stayed on to get the sounds and feeling of brakes off and rolling. A few minutes passed, and I heard the pressure in the air lines increase, and the sound of the breaks releasing. I was ready for the big jolt again, but it didn't come, just smooth motion. Really an amazing experience for me, I hopped off right before it really stated getting going. I ran next aside it to know what was too fast to get on, I don't plan in hopping a moving train, even a light jog seemed faster than was safe.
So really kind of my introduction. I'm just starting to get in the motion of hopping. Would like to see what its like squatting and the sort. Seems I fall in the category of people who really don't want one place, and the life of stability. Only for now though. I have a few trips planned. Nothing big to start, just small line trains for now.
