I have found this story on the webside xx and it was published there by Tim Gaynor on August 24th, 2014.
The title is "New-school riders follow in tracks of the American hobo.
Train hoppers quiet lured by nomadic life on the rails, of despite fewer numbers and greater surveillance”.
A backback/rucksack, a freighttrain and a lot of freedom/liberty.
This is everything that a HOBO life requires.
After the railroad conquered America in the19th century, the era of Hobos began: young men who jumped on freighttrains in search of work travelling through the country without paying.
Actually you stilll have hobos in the United States - but nowadays they are looking for other things but work.
You recognize a Hobo by their firm, heavy shoes, dirty t-shirts, ripped jeans and their backpacks.
Good footwear is important in a world where every misstep can be dangerous or fatal.
Each Hobo has a map where all distances are listed.
They plan their routes and know exactly where it's worth it to leave a train and hop onto another one.
Of course, this life is also very dangerous.
They have to look out for police and railway workers constantly, because if they are caught, they are sent to jail - for vagrancy.
But since the attacks of September 11th, the safety instructions have also been increased, the trains are being checked and monitored more and therefore it is more difficult for Hobos to jump onto the trains.
For this reason heat sensors investigate the trains, also trying to find Hobos.
Also nowadays there are almost just fast trains and less freighttrains
Just in 2012 463 Hobos were killed on the tracks!!
Many Hobos break up school in order to "learn something about the world".
The first time Julian jumped on a train, he gave himself the new name 'Wolf' following an old tradition.
Sometimes different Hobo groups meet on the trains.
Then they share their food and exchange stories about their life on the trains.
There are very few women among the Hobos.
The 22-year-old Bethany became a Hobo, after she had lost her job and her mother had kicked her out of the apartment.
The 25-year-old welder Ben did not want to have a regular working day and he did not want to accept a subordinate role.
For this reason he decided to become a hobo.
Because they don't work and have no obligations, they do not care about what other people think about them.
Nearly all Hobos have knowingly chosen a dropout life!
However, if Hobos need money, they sit down in a city to beg on the road.
Of course, they are often insulted by people, but this is something they don't care about (supposedly), because the next day they've gone anyway.
All Hobos agree: "It's addictive.
It's like injecting heroin into your arm!
It`s beautiful!”
lg und schönes Wochenende!
Edel
