Its time to ride again. Haven't rode since 97

[BradKajukenbo]

My name is Brad. I'm from Redding California. Started train hopping when I was 15 in 1991. Stopped in 1997 when my twin boys were born. They are now 21. One has started himself a little family. One still lives at home. But I feel like I did my job rising them. My home is paid for. What would be stopping me from doing what I miss? I do run a martial arts school.

Over the year I have given it great thought. In Sept I will be promoting 4 of my students to black belt. I will then give those 4 students my school. By October I will be train hopping for the next year. Hopefully with my son who still lives at home. Regardless, its time to ride again.

 

[croc]

Fuck yeah, dude!
Welcome! It's awesome to hear about someone getting back on the road after raising their kids and not giving up and becoming stagnant.
From any current research you've done, how much and in what ways has riding changed since u rode last?

 

[BradKajukenbo]

Fuck yeah, dude!
Welcome! It's awesome to hear about someone getting back on the road after raising their kids and not giving up and becoming stagnant.
From any current research you've done, how much and in what ways has riding changed since u rode last?

I honestly believe I wouldn't have stopped riding if I didn't have kids. I didn't start even thinking about riding again until they were 16. A year ago when my grand daughter was born, I started to get the feeling that I'm ready.

Most of my research now has been network maps of Union Pacific and BNSF. As for what has changed since I last rode a train, besides my age, I am really not sure. The last time I hopped a train was in 97 and that was from Seattle to Dunsmuir California. Though I have rode Amtrak a few times from Seattle to Redding Ca in the past. Nothing seems to have changed much there

 

[Deleted member 24782]

I honestly believe I wouldn't have stopped riding if I didn't have kids. I didn't start even thinking about riding again until they were 16. A year ago when my grand daughter was born, I started to get the feeling that I'm ready.

Most of my research now has been network maps of Union Pacific and BNSF. As for what has changed since I last rode a train, besides my age, I am really not sure. The last time I hopped a train was in 97 and that was from Seattle to Dunsmuir California. Though I have rode Amtrak a few times from Seattle to Redding Ca in the past. Nothing seems to have changed much there

The only MAJOR changes are a hell of a lot less cars to ride. As intermodal transport has begun to dominate domestic commerce we are seeing a lot of 53' containers, sitting in 53' well cars. This means there isn't much room to ride on the ends. Piggy backs and the traditional Husky Stack 48' well car is no longer manufactured so your seeing those less and less. Piggy backs are disappearing as well, for a bunch of reasons I wont bore you with. Open boxcars are disappearing, replaced by mostly yellow TTX/TBOX plug door cars which are never left open and cannot be opened, but there still are alot of manifests with open boxcars, I'm still seein em. And some railroads, like UP, are starting to install a lot of heavier duty fencing along their right of way, especially in urban areas. And its not just chain link, it this heavier duty expanded metal, it's a bitch!

OH, and there was a big scare after 9/11, rumors of train hopping and felony charges, domestic terrorism, and hoboing just not being possible, etc. not true. ITS ALL BS, circumstances and laws change county to county, you just never know what you will happen. Majority of law enforcement I have met in my train travels have been pretty cool.

 

[BradKajukenbo]

The only MAJOR changes are a hell of a lot less cars to ride. As intermodal transport has begun to dominate domestic commerce we are seeing a lot of 53' containers, sitting in 53' well cars. This means there isn't much room to ride on the ends. Piggy backs and the traditional Husky Stack 48' well car is no longer manufactured so your seeing those less and less. Piggy backs are disappearing as well, for a bunch of reasons I wont bore you with. Open boxcars are disappearing, replaced by mostly yellow "Railboxes" which are never left open and cannot be opened, but there still are alot of manifests with open boxcars, I'm still seein em. And some railroads, like UP, are starting to install a lot of heavier duty fencing along their right of way, especially in urban areas. And its not just chain link, it this heavier duty expanded metal, it's a bitch!

OH, and there was a big scare after 9/11, rumors of train hopping and felony charges, domestic terrorism, etc. Not true.

I remember when there were plenty of open boxcars to choose from. When I first started riding trains, it was the time when the railroads had just stopped putting cabooses at the end of the train.

 

[Crazy Hobo Johnny]

Welcome Aboard BradKajukenbo!!! Sounds like you got the fever to get back to train hopping!!!

I sure wish I could do it more but holding a state security license and getting caught for trespassing won't look good on my part! Now I'm just a bicycle hobo!

BTW I like the Avatar picture! +I need to get back into martial arts (Yellow Belt) just lazy right now!

 

[Deleted member 8978]

Welcome back to the world of travel, let me know when you reach the East!

 

[BradKajukenbo]

Welcome Aboard BradKajukenbo!!! Sounds like you got the fever to get back to train hopping!!!

I sure wish I could do it more but holding a state security license and getting caught for trespassing won't look good on my part! Now I'm just a bicycle hobo!

BTW I like the Avatar picture! +I need to get back into martial arts (Yellow Belt) just lazy right now!

Thank you. The Avatar picture was taken a couple years ago. My students marched in the local Bunny Fest parade and did a small self defense demonstration. They won first place. The little guy in front is my nephew. During the demonstration he fought off two adults. One is my son who is the big guy in the back of the Avatar Picture in a kidnapping attempt demonstration.

Here are a few clips from the Demonstration

Our class motto is "We train strong to remain strong"

 

[BradKajukenbo]

Welcome back to the world of travel, let me know when you reach the East!

Thank you! Looking forward to seeing the Eastern side of the US soon!

 

[Zbart1108]

Welcome back to the road, it's where some of us belong. Nice to hear your story, I to took time off to raise my son and so good to be back traveling, hope to see you out there...stay safe and happy travels.

 

[croc]

Open boxcars are disappearing, replaced by mostly yellow TTX/TBOX plug door cars which are never left open and cannot be opened, but there still are alot of manifests with open boxcars, I'm still seein em.

Just rode my first boxcar a month n change ago and it was one of those big ass TTX boxes with the plug door.
I wanted to shove a spike in the door (if nothing else at least to quelch some anxiety) and was like ? Where? The fuck do I put this? There's no track
It's cool to know that was a rare ride tho

 

[BradKajukenbo]

Welcome back to the road, it's where some of us belong. Nice to hear your story, I to took time off to raise my son and so good to be back traveling, hope to see you out there...stay safe and happy travels.

Thank you! When I stopped I really didn't care about ever riding again. My boys were 16 and we rode Amtrak from Seattle to Redding. The moment the train started moving it was like I all of the sudden realized how much I really missed it. I wanted to get off Amtrak in Portland and the three of us get on a freight train the rest of the way home. My son KC was all for it but my son Brian wasn't.

 

[Jambalaya]

This is a really cool story. Yours is not the first of it's kind I've read here and it's very inspiring. Here I sat thinking I've waited to long to do since of the traveling/adventuring I've wanted to do. While you and a few others have raised other humans and are deciding to get back to it!

 

[FawnGone]

My name is Brad. I'm from Redding California. Started train hopping when I was 15 in 1991. Stopped in 1997 when my twin boys were born. They are now 21. One has started himself a little family. One still lives at home. But I feel like I did my job rising them. My home is paid for. What would be stopping me from doing what I miss? I do run a martial arts school.

Over the year I have given it great thought. In Sept I will be promoting 4 of my students to black belt. I will then give those 4 students my school. By October I will be train hopping for the next year. Hopefully with my son who still lives at home. Regardless, its time to ride again.

Hello fellow old school rider. We have similar stories. My son turns 18 this year and I'm itching to hit the rails again, this time with him. I always wrote it off as something I'd never do again, but the call has been unbearable lately and I figured fuck it, I miss it so much, and who cares if I'm a little older now.
Best of luck to you in your adventures!