Freight hopping has always been something that I've wanted to do, but it never really entered my mind before a friend of mine mentioned it a week ago. Since then, I've been doing a bunch of research...carefully planning things out and talking to a rail fan friend here and there. He's based in Chicago, so his knowledge of eastern tracks is limited.
I want to lay out a few things first:
-I am not going to wing this. Just a few weeks ago, a woman got killed trying to get on a freight train in PA, not far from me. I'm doing everything I can to make sure this is done safely.
-my dad and grandfather are both railfans, so I have more than average knowledge about trains, but I'm no encyclopedia like some railfans.
-I come here after doing a lot of research, with some specific questions that I am struggling to answer myself.
First; the planned route:
1. Take branch line train which goes slowly through my town out to Harrisburg.
2. Hop off just outside the Harrisburg yard and walk around from the south end to the north end where I wait for the northbound buffalo line train.
3. Hide and wait for the train.
4. Ride to Buffalo, NY
5. Reverse order to get back
My questions:
1. If you look at the north end of the yard, there is about a mile between the end of the yard and where the buffalo line begins. I could wait till the train takes the buffalo route, but don't know if it will be too fast to hop at that point, or could wait closer to the yard, but risk it taking the pittsburgh line instead. Is there a way that I could find for sure which train is taking the Buffalo line?
2. Are there any websites that may be helpful for finding this kind of information myself?
3. Any advice about hopping branch line trains? I know that these can have suicide cars frequently.
I'm really looking forward to doing this. The route is beautiful, and it should be a nice way to spend some alone time.
Oh also, really liked the big fat freight hop :)
Thanks all
I want to lay out a few things first:
-I am not going to wing this. Just a few weeks ago, a woman got killed trying to get on a freight train in PA, not far from me. I'm doing everything I can to make sure this is done safely.
-my dad and grandfather are both railfans, so I have more than average knowledge about trains, but I'm no encyclopedia like some railfans.
-I come here after doing a lot of research, with some specific questions that I am struggling to answer myself.
First; the planned route:
1. Take branch line train which goes slowly through my town out to Harrisburg.
2. Hop off just outside the Harrisburg yard and walk around from the south end to the north end where I wait for the northbound buffalo line train.
3. Hide and wait for the train.
4. Ride to Buffalo, NY
5. Reverse order to get back
My questions:
1. If you look at the north end of the yard, there is about a mile between the end of the yard and where the buffalo line begins. I could wait till the train takes the buffalo route, but don't know if it will be too fast to hop at that point, or could wait closer to the yard, but risk it taking the pittsburgh line instead. Is there a way that I could find for sure which train is taking the Buffalo line?
2. Are there any websites that may be helpful for finding this kind of information myself?
3. Any advice about hopping branch line trains? I know that these can have suicide cars frequently.
I'm really looking forward to doing this. The route is beautiful, and it should be a nice way to spend some alone time.
Oh also, really liked the big fat freight hop :)
Thanks all
Hi Polisman!
I rode to Buffalo on my first freight hop in 2005. I don't remember any details except that we were stuck near to Buffalo for aaaages. To be fair though, we were very inexperienced so we didn't really know where to catch out properly.
I've no idea about how to find out which train goes where. Also, be wary of giving away too much info as I'm 99% sure that rail security read these forums.
Also only do it if you're completely confident! Don't get crushed under some wheels, please. Thanks! Good luck :)
I rode to Buffalo on my first freight hop in 2005. I don't remember any details except that we were stuck near to Buffalo for aaaages. To be fair though, we were very inexperienced so we didn't really know where to catch out properly.
I've no idea about how to find out which train goes where. Also, be wary of giving away too much info as I'm 99% sure that rail security read these forums.
Also only do it if you're completely confident! Don't get crushed under some wheels, please. Thanks! Good luck :)
I am no expert, and have never hopped a train, but from what I've read (on squattheplanet.com) it's generally best to get on at the oposite end of the yard from the direction you want to go. (ie, get on at the south end if you want to go north) This way you can get on towards the back while the train is stationery, which is not only safer while getting on, but also gives you time to find a rideable car so you are not getting on blind.
That could work with smaller yards, Blacksmith, but lots of yards are huge and the end of the train won't be sticking out the back. I learn that the best place to catch out is at the end of the yard on the direction that you want to go as at least you then know for sure that the train is heading off. The downside is that you'll have to catch the train on the fly which doesn't leave much time to find a good car before it's moving too fast. You'll also be relatively close to the front of the train which isn't usually ideal.
From what I've read on stp, when a train is going to leave soon they put this thing called a FRED (stp's founder calls it a "fucking rear end device") on the back of the train, plus there are usually only 2 or so tracks that go in and out of the yard which normally are towards the outside of the yard (though rarely they'll be in the middle) so if you look for the right things, it shouldn't be too hard to pick the right train before it starts going. It should also be noted that sometimes the yards will do stupid shit like sending the north bound trains out of the south end of the yard, like in Roseville, in which case you'll probably notice after its way too late to get off and need to do some back tracking.
That said, this is all 2nd and 3rd hand knowledge so I could be totally talking out of my ass.
That said, this is all 2nd and 3rd hand knowledge so I could be totally talking out of my ass.
Good luck mate!
