Freight train surfing
Discussion
Venisonpie said:
Used to hear stories about this, does it still happen? Jump on the back of a wagon in a yard and see where in the country you end up?
I can imagine it's an exhilarating pastime if rather risky.
YouTube… dangerous Dave. Brilliant. I think he is still banned from USA or something.I can imagine it's an exhilarating pastime if rather risky.
My ex used to translate and interpret for the emergency services. One job she was called to was for a chap who had crossed illegally to the UK in a lorry, then hung on to the outside of a train to get to London.
He was found one morning on the trackside, with an arm and part of a leg missing, plus numerous other injuries. It appears that the strap of his shoulder bag had caught on a gantry or an oncoming train, dropping him on the track. He was then run over either by the train he had been on, or a later one.
He underwent months of operations before he was well enough to deport. My ex also spoke to his disabled mother back in his home country, who lived alone in an apartment without a lift. She was begging for him not to be returned to her, as she had no way of caring for him.
Despite my ex having done volunteer work in hospitals before coming to the UK, she still found the whole thing pretty harrowing.
He was found one morning on the trackside, with an arm and part of a leg missing, plus numerous other injuries. It appears that the strap of his shoulder bag had caught on a gantry or an oncoming train, dropping him on the track. He was then run over either by the train he had been on, or a later one.
He underwent months of operations before he was well enough to deport. My ex also spoke to his disabled mother back in his home country, who lived alone in an apartment without a lift. She was begging for him not to be returned to her, as she had no way of caring for him.
Despite my ex having done volunteer work in hospitals before coming to the UK, she still found the whole thing pretty harrowing.
I used to live next to a freight only line.
Modern British rolling stock does not lend itself to riding on, very few places to hang on and no where to hide from the weather.
A modern class 66 with air braked stock doesn't hang about either, it would be very uncomfortable and very scary.
Maybe in the USA where they still use boxcars or possibly parts of the world with old slow rail systems,but in the UK you would have to be mad or stupid or both.
Modern British rolling stock does not lend itself to riding on, very few places to hang on and no where to hide from the weather.
A modern class 66 with air braked stock doesn't hang about either, it would be very uncomfortable and very scary.
Maybe in the USA where they still use boxcars or possibly parts of the world with old slow rail systems,but in the UK you would have to be mad or stupid or both.
bristolracer said:
I used to live next to a freight only line.
Modern British rolling stock does not lend itself to riding on, very few places to hang on and no where to hide from the weather.
A modern class 66 with air braked stock doesn't hang about either, it would be very uncomfortable and very scary.
Maybe in the USA where they still use boxcars or possibly parts of the world with old slow rail systems,but in the UK you would have to be mad or stupid or both.
A few years ago a colleague of mine worked a container train into Daventry rail freight terminal and found a ‘passenger’ frozen to the handrail on an empty wagon, apparently he’d jumped on board at Wembley, not a good idea on freezing cold January night. A couple of years previously another mate came across a body at Knighton just outside Leicester which had been chopped in half by the previous train which I was driving, it turned out the poor bloke was pissed up and tried to jump on as I was passing, but he slipped, fell and was dragged underneath.Modern British rolling stock does not lend itself to riding on, very few places to hang on and no where to hide from the weather.
A modern class 66 with air braked stock doesn't hang about either, it would be very uncomfortable and very scary.
Maybe in the USA where they still use boxcars or possibly parts of the world with old slow rail systems,but in the UK you would have to be mad or stupid or both.
thebraketester said:
Venisonpie said:
Used to hear stories about this, does it still happen? Jump on the back of a wagon in a yard and see where in the country you end up?
I can imagine it's an exhilarating pastime if rather risky.
YouTube… dangerous Dave. Brilliant. I think he is still banned from USA or something.I can imagine it's an exhilarating pastime if rather risky.
48k said:
thebraketester said:
Venisonpie said:
Used to hear stories about this, does it still happen? Jump on the back of a wagon in a yard and see where in the country you end up?
I can imagine it's an exhilarating pastime if rather risky.
YouTube… dangerous Dave. Brilliant. I think he is still banned from USA or something.I can imagine it's an exhilarating pastime if rather risky.
bristolracer said:
I used to live next to a freight only line.
Modern British rolling stock does not lend itself to riding on, very few places to hang on and no where to hide from the weather.
A modern class 66 with air braked stock doesn't hang about either, it would be very uncomfortable and very scary.
Maybe in the USA where they still use boxcars or possibly parts of the world with old slow rail systems,but in the UK you would have to be mad or stupid or both.
TBF I see plenty of freight trains that go through my local station on the WCML that include open flatbed wagons you could sit on quite easily. Downside is you would be very spottable.Modern British rolling stock does not lend itself to riding on, very few places to hang on and no where to hide from the weather.
A modern class 66 with air braked stock doesn't hang about either, it would be very uncomfortable and very scary.
Maybe in the USA where they still use boxcars or possibly parts of the world with old slow rail systems,but in the UK you would have to be mad or stupid or both.
If the film 'Into the Wild' is to be believed, the days of seeing America with a guitar and a group of fellow hobos from the door of a boxcar are over:
Into the Wild - Railway scene
Into the Wild - Railway scene
Thanks for the heads up on brave Dave, great adventures he's been having. I'd seen shiey before and he really is brave, climbing the radio tower near Chernobyl was incredible.
I guess hopping on the back of a wagon in Felixstowe and trundling up to Mossend or such like probably isn't doable for security reasons. Not that I'm anywhere near young or agile enough to contemplate it!
I guess hopping on the back of a wagon in Felixstowe and trundling up to Mossend or such like probably isn't doable for security reasons. Not that I'm anywhere near young or agile enough to contemplate it!
Always used to enjoy the Stobeys videos. Sadly fell victim of what is a very risky hobby/lifestyle...
https://www.youtube.com/user/hobestobe/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/hobestobe/videos
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