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  3. The death of train hobos

The death of train hobos

A BNSF freight train rolls through the Marshall area just south of Spokane. Trains are harder to jump since the design of the individual cars has become more specialized and streamlined. (CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON chrisa@spokesman.com Below: File photos  archive)
A BNSF freight train rolls through the Marshall area just south of Spokane. Trains are harder to jump since the design of the individual cars has become more specialized and streamlined. (CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON chrisa@spokesman.com Below: File photos  archive)

This blog about end-of-life issues enables us to track here other things that come to an end, such as technology items and lifestyles.

In today's Spokesman-Review, I wrote about the end of the train hobo lifestyle. People don't ride the rails anymore. Why? Railcars are no longer "rider-friendly" and railroads have cracked down on trespassing.

The train hobo culture was always more glamorous in books and movies than in reality, but it's still difficult to believe it's gone for good.

(S-R photo by Chris Anderson. Note the modern train cars -- nowhere to grab onto or sit upon.)

Spokesman-Review features writer Rebecca Nappi, along with writer Catherine Johnston of Olympia, Wash., discuss here issues facing aging boomers, seniors and those experiencing serious illness, dying, death and other forms of loss.