Hello Group,

Tuesday I saw a man riding on the end of a covered hopper, something that I
haven't seen for a long time. Back in the sixties during the spring, I saw hobos riding empty gondolas, Sometimes juveniles will hop on auto racks for a joy
ride.There are not many humans at trackside like the "old days" to relay to the
authorities these dangerous practices. One idiot talked his friends into waiting at
trackside while he stole batteries from cars. They were going to catch them in a sheet.
Didn't work. Railroad cops are a mirror of society, if they let the wondering free spirits
ride the rails everyone will think it's the thing to do.During the Depression, there
wasn,t enough jail space or money to hold hobos, so a roughing up and a trip out of
town was their answer.Railroad property is private property, would you welcome a
stranger to ride on the trunk of your car? The romance of movies and books is
escapeism,

John F. Riba

Hi
I see someone riding on the end car doing switching at the Durand Michigan yard very often. It is the conductor.
John F