Why did hobos ride the rails?
Why did hobos ride the rails? Some left to escape poverty or troubled families, others because it seemed a great adventure. At the height of the Great Depression, more than 250,000 teenagers were living on the road in America. Many criss-crossed the country by hopping freight trains, although it was both dangerous and illegal.
What are people who hop on trains called?
The people who do Freight Hopping are known as Hobos. The rail yard security guys who you really don't want to bump into are called Bulls and seeing how far you can get via freight trains and coping with whatever the yards in which you arrive throw at you is called exciting. •
What problems did girls face while riding the rails?
Girls, young women, and black Americans were particularly susceptible to the dangers of hobo life on the rails. Females rode the rails in far fewer numbers than boys and men. For safety reasons, such as fear of sexual assault, they often disguised themselves as males and traveled with others.
Are there female hobos?
Female hobos were an integral part of the hobo culture, and their stories and experiences have been documented in literature, photography, and other forms of media.
How much did it cost to ride a train in the 1800s?
Passenger train travel in the 1880s generally cost 2-3 cents per mile. Transcontinental (New York to San Francisco) ticket rates as of June 1870 were $136 for first class in a Pullman sleeping car; $110 for second class; $65 for third or “emigrant” class seats on a bench.