He drank like a fish while hopping trains. A land mine killed two daughters, mangled one of his feet and tore most of the fingers off his left hand. Growing up, he had dyslexia and other learning disorders, but he was a sweet boy, his mother said. They have to stop in Bristol for a crew change. Officials were not sure if the couple was sitting on top of the coal or were riding in an empty car and dropped onto a mound of coal, then hit or buried by another load. Around 2am, I decided to call it a night at Hap's Bar. "I have Silveria." He was last incarcerated in Regina, Saskatchewan. Trains have been done, writing's been done, arts been done. America is a nation based on migration. The metal seemed to groan as the couplings took up slack. I decided to "catch out" anyway. Over the summer, he fell in love with Medeana Hendershot, who shared his passion. While poking around Youtube this morning there were several recaps of the death of Jim Stobe, November 8th, considered by many other illicit train riders as somewhat iconic. He estimates that two decades ago there were likely a couple hundred full-time hobos around the country. 1. is arguably the most famous hobo in the United States. Stobie died earlier this month while train-hopping, and though it's unclear exactly what occurred, his fans on this Facebook memorial page are distraught at his death. He goes by the moniker Hobo Shoestring a name pulled from the lyrics of an old Mel McDaniel country music tune from the 1980s. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? He was 33. Get a job. People like that are misinformed. On a freezing cold night, I arrived in Montana and headed straight to the rail yards in the town of Helena. [1] Pedestrian railroad accidents are the leading cause of death on railways. Mark Nichols prefers to go by the name Hobo Shoestring and he is freight train hopper. 13 tips for travelling the world on a shoestring budget, Your email address will not be published. How to Market Your Business with Webinars? I snatched two hours sleep in what locals called a "shotgun shack", a cheap motel, and then I made my way to the furthest reaches of Helena yards, hoping to "catch out" before dawn on the Great Northern line: the Billygoat route. The slang term "shoestring" often describes a small amount of money which may be an inadequate amount to fund the intended purpose of its use in full. (A super-duper-uber RV disdained by the off-the-grid warriors.). As millions are dumped off welfare rolls and mental institutions are emptied, more and more homeless people cower in the box-car shadows, rolling cigarettes with hands shaking from the DTs and cold. Hes also ventured into Canada and Mexico. Mark Nichols, aka Hobo Shoestring (his hobo name), talks about his years of riding trains across the United States, Canada and Mexico. I stowed my sleeping bag and a small backpack, full of water bottles and snacks, in a corner of the cavernous, metal-based box, and then I sat down and waited. Is stobe the hobo died? On the afternoon of Saturday, March 2, 1996, he got a call at home from a bull working in Roseville, one of the largest rail yards in the West. Its a business lunch, so the company is footing the bill. The last time Artes spoke with his mother was last Saturday. He made fun and interesting train hopping videos over these last number of years.Thanks for checking out this video.Please keep your comments about Stobe tasteful and civil. A hobo is a migrant worker or homeless vagrant, especially one who is impoverished. Artes called his mom three times a week. Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. Is it illegal to be a hobo? Over 50 million of them around the world are uploading 500 hours of video every minute. If you do something on a shoestring, you do it with a very small amount of money: The movie was made on a shoestring. Succession of short sounds : an attempt to attract attention to the train. When Garfinkle's back was turned, Silveria occupied Garfinkle's spot in a rail-side jungle. I could hear my heart pounding as I ducked behind a pile of fresh-cut logs. Soon, he had entered the world of the hobo, and was learning the rail-rider's lingo and habits. and chicken. Meanwhile, investigators from Utah, Montana and Kansas contacted Quakenbush. On November 9, 2017, James Stobie, better known by his YouTube identity Stobe the Hobo, a famous train hopper was killed when he was dragged to death by an Amtrak train. His odyssey through the rail yards and doss-houses of the Pacific Northwest began in December 1995, when a railroad worker peered into an empty box-car during a routine check in Millersburg, Oregon, and found the body of William Avis Pettit Jr. How do you travel on a shoestring budget? On November 9, 2017, James Stobie, better known by his YouTube identity Stobe the Hobo, a famous train hopper was killed when he was dragged to death by an Amtrak train. "I go anywhere," Silveria replied. Finally, he fell asleep, huddled in a corner at the end of a metal box-car. Got me when I was asleep.". [4], The most populous states have the greatest number of train fatalities. The bull had come across Silveria in the Roseville yard, run a routine check on him and then arrested him on an outstanding warrant for probation violation. Vintage compendium of edible wild plants with pictures and descriptions, comprehensive work devoted to all aspects of insects. There arent really more real riders anymore, Nichols said. He always made so many bad decisions," she said. Silveria didn't look like a transient with the "eyes of a devil", as other hobos had described. Crazy I literally just ran into his videos the day before this happened via someone from StP documenting alongside him. I am not homeless and never have been. Above all, as any hobo will tell you, don't join anyone else in a box-car. Finally, Quakenbush's persistence paid off. one of the hobos that sort of inspired this story (Stobe the Hobo) got killed when he was on a bridge and couldn't get out of the way of an oncoming train. The United States Department of Transportation administers various regulatory bodies, the most relevant to railway safety being the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). But I can't find it. None are pretty, no death in the history of humanity is dignified. The Bronco passed by. The Utah victim had been beaten over the head with a board and stabbed in the ear. On November 9, 2017, James Stobie, better known by his YouTube identity Stobe the Hobo, a famous train hopper was killed when he was dragged to death by an Amtrak train. Its unknown, but the Norfolk Southern Railroad passes through the center of the city. Few live as long as Nichols due to derailments, murder, prison, alcoholism and drugs, he said. H. L. Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. Bill Bryson suggests in Made in America (1998) that it could either come from the railroad greeting, Ho, beau! or a syllabic abbreviation of homeward bound. But in its most popular definition, itinerant workers traveling the country by train use the word to describe themselves and their unique and intentional lifestyle. Nichols videos led him to befriend a local family because the son watched them and became fascinated with the railroad lifestyle. When one demanded to see his ID, he emailed his old Blockbuster card. It's not clear exactly when or how they died. If they do, its an overnight for trespassing.. I have a few crash pads around the country I can use intermittently. Manual for Amtrak employees on how to handle various situations. [4], The railroad industry has supported educational initiatives like Operation Lifesaver. asked Garfinkle upon his return. I dont know what to compare it to.. BooHoo. He played the piano for all his videos. What happened to Antonella Nester of QVC? Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. In the 1860s, many of the first hobos died of exposure after hopping aboard steam trains leading home, they had hoped, from the killing fields of the Civil War. Except that Stobie, aka Stobe the Hobo, made YouTube videos about his experiences, hopping trains to move around the country for the pure fun of it. After being transported to Kansas City, Nichols stayed in the hospital for three weeks. Its not really big enough for a place to get a shower or a job.. She chivied some into joining AA. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Answer: In colonial times, people who were thought too loyal to Britain, or too outspoken against independence, or crown tax collectors, were sometimes tarred, feathered, and tied to a wooden fence rail and carried out of town. He said railroad staff often dont care when they find him aboard trains. What does the idiom do something on a shoestring mean? [18], The DuPage Railroad Safety Council (DRSC) is a non-profit organization committed to preventing deaths and injuries at railroad crossings and along railways in DuPage County and all around the United States. The number has decreased. MCC. Fortin explained that the FTRA originally stood for "Fuck The Reagan Administration" and was founded by a "bunch of guys who wanted to ride together and just came up with a joke name". Ya gotta stay clean or it isn't much fun. You are using an out of date browser. He backed it up with his tinkly, rambling piano. Scenic routes such as the Billygoat are particularly popular with growing numbers of "weekend riders", especially in the summer. Hopping freights is illegal and dangerous.. STOBE THE HOBO 9 SUMMER16PT2 LINCOLN TO CHICAGO TRAINHOPPING Watch on Stobe The Hobo has to hide from the inspection crew Those who get caught are usually taken to jail to face trespassing charges and pay a hefty fine. . "When you ride the trains, what name do you use?" "He'd kill just for a buck, out of pure and simple greed Silveria took from the poor and then killed them because he could, because no one cares about what happens to us. He was from Colorado but had been in the Coast Guard in my old town, Seattle, and sometimes hung out up there. Stobe the Hobo Home Videos Playlists Community Channels About Recently uploaded Popular 15:50 Stobe The Hobo - Episode 4 - LAS VEGAS TO LARAMIE 67K views 3 years ago 16:58 Stobe The. "They robbed me and beat me half to death with a chain. I was hitchhiking and trying to get to Denver. McLean's dog was also stabbed. The boxcar is slow moving, Nichols said, and can travel up to 48 mph. Offered a camping stove by Silveria, Stanley refused it believing it was "hot" - stolen. "And this is the last day you've spent." 1a : to refuse admittance or acceptance to. Like Pettit, Clites had been bludgeoned repeatedly and died of severe head wounds. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. All this is fascinating from a safe distance, meaning the living-room. In Eugene, Quakenbush interviewed several groups of homeless men. The slang term shoestring often describes a small amount of money which may be an inadequate amount to fund the intended purpose of its use in full. When finally apprehended, he had 28 food stamp accounts around America, and was picking up $119 from each one, each month. Hobos have been taking free rides on America's freight trains since Civil War days - they have always been a law unto themselves. Stobe the HoboYouTube There are other, darker, theories surrounding Stobie's death. Pauli Murray was an inspiration to me while in college. As it turned out, Stanley was right: the stove was taken from James McLean, 50, found on July 25, 1995, beaten and stabbed near a hobo camp. Usually they dont throw you in jail, Nichols said. "We were always worried about him. Four FTRA members were investigated as suspects. One said Clites had been in a mission in Vancouver, Washington, on December 4, 1995. "If he had to die so young, at least he died at a moment where he was on top of the world," said Susan Artes, Christopher's mother. The vagabond crowd disdains humongous ready-to-roll RVs, preferring DYI makeovers of school buses, city buses and box trucks. Several of the homeless men remembered Clites because of his height. Thus, the direction of the locomotive makes no difference to efficiency or safety. From an Internet website, Rail Rogues, I'd already memorised several dos and don'ts for the prospective rail rider. To his surprise, Silveria quickly confessed to two killings in Oregon, said he was a prominent member of the FTRA "brotherhood", admitted to being a heroin user, and then gave details of six more killings. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. I know we lost a lot of good celebrities within the past year and a half, but it was a total blindside where I did not expect us to lose one of our own. If It did happen there should be a news article or video about it. Don't walk between rails. "If he got an idea and something looked good to him, he would do it. Pedestrian railroad safety is concerned with the protection of life through regulation, management and technology development of all forms of rail transportation. Hobo Shoestring is dying of cancer. A few tracks away, I spotted the junk-train due to leave within the hour. If you can place your finger between the springs, the boxcar is most likely empty. His views on trains, society, beer food and all the banter,most recent favorite is that episode in the reno casino video tour where *the hag in the van* called the fire dept on them. Silveria, they said, had told them he was a travelling roofer by trade, using the rails to move between jobs. As the railcars arrive, the bottom opens and cars drop coal several stories below onto a waiting truck. "The FTRA provides criminals with perfect mobility. powpow99 94K views This is the reshoot with a better camera of this area in Halethorpe which is not far from. Stobe expressed a fluid combination of sentimental longing and stoic cynicism that often devolved into confusing rants. #1. In 2014, California had 141 deaths. Past and present members of the gang and their associates are suspected in some 300 murders nationwide in the past decade. He showed me what train to get on and the next thing I know, I stayed on through Denver and stayed on to Stockton, California, Nichols said. As he crossed rusting tracks, Quakenbush appeared to shudder for a split second in the shadow cast by a graffiti-strewn box-car. I really thought he would pull a few thousand more miles and play it safe long enough where I would actually ride along with him. James William Stobie gained considerable notoriety during his all too short life of thirty-three years as a filmmaker who self-produced documentary styled videos portraying life as a rail riding traveler AKA Stobe the Hobo. His accomplishments were many, but his time here on earth. But the fact is that they just aren't necessary anymore. Like many hobos, medical problems have kept Nichols from riding recently. It contained 37 episodes, which are around 25 minutes each. Our friend James Stobie, aka Stobe the Hobo, died Wednesday the 8th of November, 2017. These days, young train hoppers get help from others, or guides, and learn the ins and outs on how to find the right train to ride, he said. Hendershot died from blunt force trauma to the mid-section, so she could have been hurt falling or by coal falling on her. How did the Great Depression affect the hobo life? Its got its ups and downs. Eastern Railroad Discussion > Stobe the Hobo RIP. Over the years, with experience, Nichols also became more accustomed to picking the right train the ones that provide more comfort, more scenery and less of a chance of getting caught. 00kissmarrykick00, Coywolf, Jakethehobosexual and 3 others. Two local characters were able to fill me in on the FTRA's history. Birth 23 Oct 1984 Denver, Denver County, Colorado, USA; What is the difference between a hobo a tramp and a bum? He worked on Bell helicopters and was stationed at various bases in the continental U.S. But after I got out, I went straight to the rails, Nichols said. On November 9, 2017, James Stobie, better known by his YouTube identity Stobe the Hobo, a famous train hopper was killed when he was dragged to death by an Amtrak train. Artes was adopted when he was 5 days old. Location. He rode the rails in a way that was reminiscent of a desperate man searching for work at every city he could find during the Great Depression. The very first American hobos were cast-offs from the American Civil War of the Quoting: deplorably white furry pete. It had been the thrill-ride of a lifetime, and it hadn't cost a cent. To his credit, Stobe refused to give wannabes how-to lessons. He made me want to start posting some of my own. . According to some reports, his bag became tangled in the Amtrak train and he was dragged to his death. Taken in November 2017. Which is complete bull shit. He said railroad staff often dont care when they find him aboard trains. Today, "riding the rods" is more perilous than ever. It weighs on me really bad. Done, done, done. "But they're real people, just like Pettit, who've often simply fallen on hard times. [13] After several deaths in Villa Park, Illinois, safety advocates built fences at spots where people would often walk across train tracks. He told subscribers he was fined and was in a hotel. The couple wanted to stay in Florida, then return to Maryland for a visit with his family in the spring. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Then Grandinetti noticed that some transients he interviewed were wearing "colours". What happened hobo stobe? Silveria really was a predator, recalled Stanley. This video was made in appreciation of what Stobe had done with his YouTube channel \" Hobestobe\". Visitors can also visit the Hobo Memorial Cemetery, where many steam-engine era hobos are buried, and the National Hobo Museum, where authentic artifacts are on display. A few railroad employees have even complimented him on them, he said. There's no longer any reason to drag a caboose around." These accidents cause 600 deaths and injure about 2,300. : to pay for something His parents footed the bill for his college education. 'Stobe the Hobo' died that same autumn. Plus messing around with special podcast lighting, new mics, mini-teleprompter (!) He would sometimes ask her to look up directions on the Internet for truck stops, grocery stores and other places while he was on the road. Do you think some fuckers pushed him over because they had some stupid idea that hid videos were , " burning the rails" . "This latest generation have no respect," Fortin told me bitterly. He showed them photographs of Clites and Pettit. What exactly happened here? Passenger trains have dwindled, but the freight trains trundle endlessly on, still offering the chance of a free ride. A couple who romanticized and lived a modern-day adventure by riding railroad cars across the U.S. were killed when a train dumped its load of coal at a Florida power plant. And there's no record of your trip. "It's easy when you look at the homeless to think that they're just low life," sighed Quakenbush. He is now serving a life sentence in Oregon, unlikely ever to get out. In recent years, hobos, like Nichols, have used social media and gained many followers. One of the last spots Stobe the Hobo shot a video in Halethorpe, Maryland. Alex Kershaw rode the rails himself to follow their trail, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. According to some reports, his bag became tangled in the Amtrak train and he was dragged to his death. https://youtu.be/M3s-KIrmEWs )If your interested in what else I've been up to check out the info below:My Instagram: @montanaredsoxxMy Flickr: where I have over a 1000 photos posted.https://www.flickr.com/photos/ptimer/Take care. Quakenbush could barely hide his anger about the fate of the dispossessed and the "double standards throughout America": "There's a great system of justice for the rich. Most people look down on people like me. If the company detected somebody on the tracks, a message on the speaker said: Warning: You are trespassing on private property and are in danger of being struck by a train. Stobe the hobo Stobe the hobo. No one much cared until a few determined police officers began to suspect a serial killer was at work. Bob Grandinetti was about to retire after 30 years' service with the Spokane Police Department, 12 of them patrolling the rail yards. He documents his final days riding freight trains on YouTube. Ive done and tried almost everything on Earth, and nothing makes me more happy and sound than riding trains and being free, Nichols said. Your email address will not be published. America's first known railroad serial killer then hit Garfinkle at least 13 times with an axe-handle. [14][15], After two children were killed by a CSX train on a Bridge near the Erie Canal, motion-detection cameras were installed on the bridge, which sent images to a security company. Blues piano? A couple who romanticized and lived a modern-day adventure by riding railroad cars across the U.S. were killed when a train dumped its load of coal at a Florida power plant. How does Farid treat Amir? But as time passed, Nichols continued to hop aboard trains landing a couple times a year in jail for trespassing and his family made him an outcast, he said. He told me that he had met Silveria several times. According to some reports, his bag became tangled in the Amtrak train and he was dragged to his death. Since 1900, hobos and their supporters from around the country have gathered in Britt, Iowa, each August for the National Hobo Convention. PPS: Stobe the Hobo said one trip, somewhere, had gone well because, as he put it, he hadn't been run over by a train. What happened at the end of Baptiste Season 2? On November 9, 2017, James Stobie, better known by his YouTube identity Stobe the Hobo, a famous train hopper was killed when he was dragged to death by an Amtrak train. In early November last year, an Amtrak train operator found a body on the tracks outside Baltimore who authorities later identified as YouTube star James "Stobe the Hobo" Stobie. Wtf man. There was a problem saving your notification. His given name is Leon Ray Livingston and he was born in 1872 and he was a lifelong wanderer. Quakenbush asked whether any of them had come across the name "Sidetrack". Getting stuck on the tracks when a train's coming isn't a good way to go . Toothless, his face was prematurely aged by travelling more than a million miles in often extreme weather. It seemed obvious that a gang was at work. You must log in or register to reply here. She liked to say, One person plus an typewriter is a movement. Stobe was an artist. Stobie died earlier this month while train-hopping, and though it's unclear exactly what occurred, his fans on this Facebook memorial page are distraught at his death. ( I recently uploaded a new video of this same general area in Halethorpe taken on the same day in November 2017 that I shot this one. On November 9, 2017, James Stobie, better known by his YouTube identity Stobe the Hobo, a famous train hopper was killed when he was dragged to death by an Amtrak train. Artes' mother said her son had a train-hopping manual, but it was stolen at some point. He usually prefers to step foot on a stopped train at the local rail yard, climbing up four feet to the deck, which he described as a 6-by-8-foot platform. She described her son as nave and trusting. By redneckhippie, February 25, 2020 in General Chat. The hobo also sells items on eBay, like his $7 harmonica and an old hat that he said went for $156. They're in every railway station, aboard every ferry afloat, scaling skyscrapers, jumping off cliffs, showing us how to fix baseboards, and teaching us Chinese or the piano we can speak or play in minutes! Drunk? You can cancel at any time. [13], In June 2015, the Federal Railroad Administration announced a railway safety initiative with Google that would include the FRAs GIS data into its mapping services. The case resembled hundreds of others around the nation in the past decade: a couple of homeless guys have a fight and one gets his head smashed in. Today, however, he often talks with his family, and he tries to visit his mother at least once a year. Theres no longer any reason to drag a caboose around. Trains use air-brake systems, and in the days of the caboose it was the brakemans job to walk the length of the train and make sure that air hoses were properly connected from car to car. Why Diesel? DOT oversees the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. It was called the Hobo Code. He taught himself how to flirt with danger, and so could they. He also had a half gallon of water for the trip. They traveled from Georgia to Chicago, then back to Tennessee, with Artes sending his mother pictures along the way. Stobe the Hobo, the internet's most famous train-hopper, dead after apparent accident November 18, 2017 Administrator By Josh Katzowitz, The Daily Dot; November 17, 2017 James Stobie was the most famous train-hopping hobo on the internet. Don't have a lot of info yet.Apparently he was killed in some kind of train accident in or around Baltimore.I know some people didn't like him much,but the man sure rode some miles.Hoping that westbound has lots of beer for ya bro. They were Vietnam veterans who had not been able to fit back into "normal society" and who wanted to ride "free" and see America their own way, surviving as they had in the jungles of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam by hunting, fishing and living off the land. Tiny houses, narrowboats and converted buses look artsy and cozy, but no thanks to climbing ladders to sleep in crawl spaces, disembarking narrowboats every few miles to crank open lock gates, or emptying "cassettes" of toilet "black water" at dump sites. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). When Quakenbush first laid eyes on Silveria at Placer County Jail, his appearance and demeanour were baffling. The railroads have become the last refuge of the destitute, moving from place to place collecting welfare benefits, hoping to find something better. U.S.: Is Amtrak advertising too warm and fuzzy or even necessary. In the United States there are some 180,000 miles of track. "The original guys were great. Sometime over the weekend, the train pulled into the city of Lakeland's power plant in Central Florida. He had the classic hobo persona down, a little jug of wine, and some scraps of food that were tossed out as a bonus while he waits in the darkest hours of the night for the next train out of town. I dropped a couple of dollars on the old oak bar, etched with lovers' giddy initials, and headed out into the frigid pre-dawn air. When reeling from the fulminations, machinations and recriminations of Donald Trump, I sometimes joined him and other vagabonds, tiny-house dwellers, country singers and TED talkers coming to me from YouTube's endless sweep. "The odds are," he warned, "you're gonna end up lying dead between a couple of towns." Wyoming is probably the worst . The 48-year-old former U.S. Army helicopter mechanic is one of just a handful of modern-day railroad hobos a longtime American lifestyle that had its heyday in the Great Depression but has since. Luckily, perhaps, I met no one.
