Originally posted by Parasite on totse2, courtesy of teh wayback macheen. There is one image here under the types of trains. The rest are links that seem to have broken over time, so do your homework to see what these look like.
Before I begin this guide, I'd like to state that train hopping is illegal. It's considered "trespassing" when you venture into yards or hop onto freight trains, you can receive tickets or even jail time. I do NOT condone the riding of trains. This is for informational purposes ONLY.
1. SUPPLIES:
Just a tip of advice, you can pack everything in zip lock bags to help make them waterproof. You will also want to pack AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE. Try thinking about what you're bringing and see if it's worth its weight for it's uses.
-You will need two things. A road atlas and what's called The Crew Change Guide. The CCG (Crew Change Guide) is not found online, you cannot buy this from any stores. It's simply just a book of MOST, not ALL the train yards in America and Canada. You can only obtain this through word of mouth and someone who's kind enough to let you copy it at kinkos (usually costs 10 cent a page and it's roughly 60 something pages).
-A several day hiking back pack, possibly one with a rain cover. Or just buy a trash bag. You will fair better off spending decent money on a nice pack than getting a cheap one and hoping for the best later on.
-A gallon of water. Don't use milk jugs, the bottoms will bust, and the caps will fall off. Get one of those big gallons of Arizona Ice Tea. These work the best for holding water. Use a dog collar to put around the handle to make it easier for carrying.
-A bandana aka a skank. You wear these around your face while going through tunnels. But they have so many different uses.
-Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush. These things can come in handy most of the time.
-TOILET PAPER. TOILET PAPER. TOILET PAPER. Also bring spare grocery bags. If you have to shit on the train, shit in the bag and throw it off. Easy as that. Don't hang your ass over the edge and hope for the best.
-Earplugs. Sometimes the trains are ungodly fucking noisy.
-Carhartt jeans are absolutely amazing for long days traveling around and rolling around in the shit you'll encounter. The jeans are extremely durable denim and will be less likely to rip or tear if you fall down and eat shit.
-You will want snacks and canned food. Cliff bars are amazing and work wonders. Honestly, food is food. Bring whatever you want, but make sure you know how to ration your food out, make shit last. Have a can opener and also a spoon.
-A lightweight sleeping bag, preferably one under 5 pounds. They make some that are even only 1lb but they are a little costly. You will want one of those bags that squeeze the air out and make it smaller, and maybe some bungee cords to wrap around it to make it even smaller.
-You want a few pairs of socks/underwear. You also want a decent pair of hiking boots.
-And ladies, you will want to bring PLENTY of tampons. Or, invent your own. Take a clean sock, cut it in small but long strips, roll it up, and you got the rest... you can wash it out in sinks at truck stops/wherever there's a public restroom.
OPTIONAL ITEMS:
-Cell Phone & Charger
-Ipod
-Laptop (most travelers actually have invested in those mini laptop things, apparently they're durable and super lightweight)
-Change of clothes
-Bedroll
-Camera
-Pets (so many people travel with pets but I really don't recommend it for a first timer)
-Various other electronics
2. TRAINS:
I'd like to point out that once you catch a car, HIDE. Don't immediately start looking around and poking your head about. There are RAILROAD COPS that will either beat the living shit out of you, arrest you, or just be wicked chill and let you keep riding. You never know what you will end up getting so treat all yards, all workers, and all railroad cops as the enemy. You must fucking hide while going through every single yard. There are some cars you can ride and some you can't simply because you'd get spotted too easily or they are called suicides (floors with holes or just simply floorless cars.)
-Boxcars
http://www.nworrp.org/images/boxcar.jpgBoxcars are nice rides. They are hard to get in and out of because there isn't a ladder for you to climb to get in/out. You have to find one with open doors, you will also need to jam railroad spikes into the doors because if they get closed, you CANNOT open them from the inside. They have plenty of shade and coverage while riding through yards, but make sure you DO NOT get closed in.
-Grainers
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/...f958105443.jpgThis is what most grainers are shaped like. They come in a variation of colors but are usually grey. Sometimes you can tell if they have floors just by looking at them and sometimes you can't. You always want to make sure there is a floor. Grainers are decent rides but you can easily get spotted on these. There's a 'foxhole' you can hide in but there is usually a hole in the foxhole that leads directly to the tracks/wheels and you have to be careful not to fall or lose anything in this hole. The hole inside the foxhole varies in size so you never entirely know what you're going to get until you hop on the car. You will ALWAYS want to catch a grainer that has a porch/floor. There are many out there that have no floor, these are called suicides. Riding on the front is called "riding dirty faced", for obvious reasons. Some Grainers have little short walls running the perimeter of the porch. These are called "Cadillacs" and they're straight pimpin'. Grainers have holes cut into the sides, so when you need to hide you can crawl inside.
-Intermodals (pig in a bucket)
These have wells in varying sizes between the cargo boxes and the actual freight train carrying thing. You ALWAYS have to check these by hopping up the ladder and checking whether they are suicides or not. Some wells are big enough for only one person and your pack and some are even larger and can fit you, your road dog (traveling partner) and all your gear. These are the most smoothest ride and you can hide fairly easily in these. However, some yards have towers with spotlights that shine down into these wells and you might get spotted and pulled off the train.
-Piggybacks (pig)
http://www.freefoto.com/images/25/60...-Train_web.jpgThese are somewhat okay, but I wouldn't recommend them unless they have these side skirts underneath the trailer to help hide you better. You are supposed to sit between the wheels of these while going through yards. They're cramped, you can't stand up. You have to be careful when you sleep. I don't recommend these, honestly.
-Gondolas
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/...43544e3d68.jpgThese are the cars you see usually carrying scrap metal or coal. Watch out for suicides and also, never ride one that's full of shit. Seriously, that'd be fucking stupid. They are decent rides but there is NO shade and you might dehydrate a lot quicker than on most rides.
3. Catching on the Fly:
Catching on the fly essentially means, you are catching a train that's still moving. There's a few tips about doing this and I want you to be safe and extremely cautious if you are catching on the fly.
-If you are about to catch on the fly and you cannot count the bolts on the wheel, it's going too fast so don't bother trying to catch it. Wait til it slows down or just wait for the next train.
-If you are on the train and trying to hop off on the fly, if you can't count the wooden ties on the rails, it's going too fast.
4. DO'S AND DON'TS:
1. Don't forget your sleeping bag and assume since it's summer time you won't need one. It'll be cold as tits at night especially if you're riding trains.
2. Don't ever spange (panhandle) other travelers or homeless people. It's fucking rude and extremely irritating.
3. Clean up after yourself. Don't just leave trash all over the place and assume since there's already trash there that it's okay.
4. Don't shit where you sleep.
5. When you're getting ready to hop on a train, don't have anything loose in your pockets. It could fall out and get lost and you'd be a very sad panda when you get on that train.
6. If you hop on a train and there's someone else on it, ask permission to stay, if they say no you have to hop off and find your own ride.
7. Don't disrespect your surroundings. Obey the laws in the cities. Be nice to local citizens. Don't steal. Don't talk shit to the cops. Etc.
8. Have some fucking common sense.
9. Be aware of your surroundings at ALL TIMES. Most train yards are in the ghettos of cities.
10. You must have patience. Train hopping doesn't happen in an hour, hell sometimes you've got to wait days for the right train to come.
11. Don't ride suicide.
12. Don't jump on/off if the train is moving too fast. You can get sucked under the train and you will suffer severe injury or even death.
13. Hide through every train yard. If you get caught by a bull (rail road cop) you will most likely get pulled off, ticketed, or even put in jail. Sometimes bulls have even been known to beating the living shit out of travelers.
-- additional note from Parasite in original comments --
When trains go through cities, they usually only slow down to about 20mph, which is actually very dangerous to try to catch. I would wait inside train yards, so you know they are either stopped or fairly slow.
I've only ever caught 2 trains on the fly (moving). One was going about 13mph and the other was going 7mph. The 13mph train was enough that I could feel the force sucking my feet under as I was climbing the ladder. The 7mph was fairly easy and I had no problem getting up the ladder and into the car.
Trains do slow down and pick up speed randomly, since tracks turn and bend, going through rail way crossings, etc. So it's common for them to slow down and speed up at the blink of an eye.
If you cannot count the bolts on the wheels, it's too fast to jump onto.
If you cannot count the railroad ties beneath you, it's too fast to jump off.
Remember this.
