Greyhound has dirt-cheap companion fares, Air Canada has last-minute deals and Via boasts a relaxing train ride, but for some people, train hopping is the only way to travel.
The hobo tradition of stowing away in a train and ridin’ the rails stretches back before the Depression, and has gained popularity in recent years thanks to punks, anarchists and hippies who just don’t appreciate booking their vacations in advance.
“It’s always a good day trip,” says Rob, a train hopper living in Montreal. “There’s nothing like being on a moving metal giant and seeing things you couldn’t otherwise see.”
But the activity isn’t as simple as the name implies; a lot of work goes into actually getting onto a train, especially if it’s moving. “Ideally you want to be in it before it’s moving,” Rob notes. It’s also harder to train hop in Canada than it is in the US, as there are many more tracks in the states. Also, the US has more “hot shots,” or trains that go direct from one destination to another without stopping. “Piggybacks,” which do make frequent stops, are more difficult to hop because the stops increase your chances of getting busted by “bulls,” (train cops) or switch operators working for the railways.
Rob notes that the explosion of graffiti artists in the past 20 years has also hurt the pastime, as trainyards are a favourite target, which means the bulls have become more vigilant. The post-9/11 era has also robbed hoppers of schedule info that used to be key in tracking incoming trains, as security has been heightened.
Perhaps the most dangerous part of the ride is actually getting off the train, because no one’s going to roll out a red carpet for you. Most likely, you will have to jump from a moving train, which presents several problems involving gravity and the train’s speed. “If you’re gonna do it, know you can run that fast,” cautions Rob. Otherwise, your momentum could roll you back on the track and under the train. “That’s your worst nightmare,” he warns.
The proper way to leap from a moving train is to first judge your speed, then plan to take your first step with your outside leg, and hit the ground running.
But even being in the yard can be a fatal hazard. Sometimes trains are “humped,” or let go, from the rest of the cars. “A train could be moving without you even knowing it,” Rob says. “It’s actually quite dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.”
So besides a free ride, what’s the obsession?
“There’s something more to it,” says Rob. “The idea of being part of a tradition. Hoboing goes a lot further back than punk rock or squatting.”
