I think that at one point many years ago (15-20) people would use terms like "technobo" around things like handheld police scanners & or used a computer with an internet connection to access the Bull Sheet & other Railfan resources. With smart phones being so affordable & having a data connection anywhere we have cell service we sure have a lot more public resources like Google Maps, digital compass apps on our phones & the ability to call in trains by dialing up the railiroad company & determining general info about any car & or unit. The use of scanners is less tech & rarely seen though at 1 point was all the rage. These are all cool and make things easier (especially the google maps & RR trace #s) but none of it is needed! Crew change guides have been printed & available in paper form within our community for years & I hear there are certain Facebook groups who will distribute the info in the CCG to anyone who joins there group. I have never owned a CCG or depended on one without being let down. Many new train riders use them & will wait around for days while I am using multiple modes of transportation & traveling hundreds/thousands of miles from there location, while they are still drinking booze & waiting. I dont drink and dont have an infinite amount of time to wait for a ride. I dont participate with any social media websites for networking besides STP & I use instagram to chronicle my life. I dont travel full time but am confident I can not only travel anywhere I want for free & survive but do it efficiently & with much comfort. I usually travel to a time sensitive event that I am volunteering at (usually a concert/festival) & I need to be there on time but also need to keep moving to the next place I am supposed to be on time, sometimes thats another event I had planned on going to; other times I learn & adjust me plans to attend other events & or visit cool places if I dont have to be anywhere specfic.
Portable technology will fail you every time as they all require batteries & to be recharged. None of it can account for the human element & murphys law associated with hopping freights, that can only be anticipated & avoided through first hand experience acquired over many mistakes over many years of close calls. I am constantly improving my travel plans & using my android technology to do it more efficient & with more comfort. I will genuinely start out any trip by searching Craigslist & the STP rideshare section & attempt to secure a free ride part of the way to get moving away from my home base. I will normally then use my couchsurfing app to try to line up a place to crash & clean up while in route towards my eventual destination. Usually from the rideshare & before I arrive at what ever pre determined destination that I am getting a ride I will use google maps to check for railroad yards, check that areas craigslist in hopes of piggy backing rideshares & also check the megabus app to see if that location has any cheap busses to keep heading in that direction. These things are constantly being done over & over again regardless of what mode of travel I am currently on. Riding trains is always a part of my traveling but in no way my sole method of travel. I usually ride megabus,use rideshare, hitchhike & use rideshare all in the same week over hundreds/thousands of miles & have integrated all of these methods of travel into my routine every time I set out. I use satelite overlay onto gps maps to to look at onramp locations & determine the best place to post up hitchhiking to maximize being in view of the most long distance traveling vehicles. I also use simple google searches to figure out where soup kitchens are, social/recreational events,concerts & festivals to attend & to find Catholic Churches to visit (that I do for fun as a pilgrim).
I am constantly charging my android phone that is always needing to be charged. Every time I get dropped off from a rideshare am sitting before/during/after hitchhiking or in the train yard I will be charging my Android device. I have thought of building a portable generator by attaching a solid rubber wheel to a charging bicycle hub & usb port to charge devices by attaching it to a freight train wheel with large magnets. I travel pretty light so for know its just an idea that I want someone else to complete & tel me how it works.
Finding places to charge my smartphone is as important & connected to searching for food, public bathrooms to use, places to shower, places to eat & sleep. I am constantly hyper aware of my surroundings & always seeking ways to improve my situation. I locate truck stops with google maps to get free showers from truck drivers who get shower credits for buying fuel regardless if they are a local or long haul driver). Often times in an urban setting I will use google maps to recon a suitable wooded area within walking distance that may be able to support stealth camping & a campfire, yet be close to an electrical outlet, running water & a bathroom. Anyone who has traveled with me will testify that when I camp somewhere that most times atleast 2 out of the 3 (AC power,potable h2o & atleast a portapotty/public bathroom) is within walking distance. I will often use satelite images to find places that store trailers or box trucks to sleep inside if its raining/snowing/windy etc. I often sleep in uhaul trucks & trucking companies & am never bothered; some times I sleep in the cabs of trucks that may not be on the road & or operable yet still have a bed/beds in them. Most times nothing is locked since there is little risk of people stealing a truck that dont run & has 13 speeds. Even those that do run & are just unused rarely get locked. Shelter for that night at times will require walking many miles or if its a clear night just setting up some place that will be near those other things yet still protected in the morning when I wake up. I take advantage of the normal habits of those commuting & driving on road trips & will usually have a cup of coffee in me with a sign & placed in the best place to hitchhike by 6am-7am. If I am spanging money by flying a sign I will be set up at a busy intersection with a sidewalk/median that has ideally has a long light & or foot traffic if in an urban setting.
I still always travel with a set of primitive style tools that never fail me. I have a simple cheap plastic compass for determining basic direction. I also have a railroad atlas that was printed in the 1990s (USA) but is still good enough & a AAA road atlas of the US/CA. I obviouly carry more low tech gear like a water key to fill my canteen from commercial spigots along businesses. I have my gortex bivy sack & a sleeping bag of the appropriate weight for the worst weather in that season possible since traveling usually finds you in many regions & elevations & on a moving train exposed to the elements. Gloves, boots, clothing, toiletries, sharpie, legal length knife, leatherman tool, USGI canteen & cup(that doubles as a bowl/plate), hobotool camping eating utensils) electrical tape, zip ties, sturdy boots(insulated in winter) & at times insulated coveralls & or overalls, and at times a set of military goretex rain gear to round off my kit.
I have traveled many ways on many trips with both having tech & no tech(multiple thousand mile trip with no phone & no more than a cheap plastic survival compass (no atlas, maps or CCG) & bedroll to other times where I am constantly checking & rechecking my phone to trace cars & line up shelter & transportation. I integrate the tech that is available to me via my smartphone if it is charged otherwise I resort to my old trusty compass, maps. At times I can still pop into any public library & get a guest pass to check online resources if I loose my phone & or am in Canada without service.
