"I ran into the FTRA a few times in Helena," he grumbled. The railroads have become the last refuge of the destitute, moving from place to place collecting welfare benefits, hoping to find something better. McLean's dog was also stabbed. Nichols said his family was concerned about his new adventures at first and thought he was going through a phase. They dont want to be around him. 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. Nichols videos led him to befriend a local family because the son watched them and became fascinated with the railroad lifestyle. [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. It saddens me to hear this, being in correspodance with him this last year a few times, and the guy had a real good outlook, bitter and positi e at the same time. . In many yards, bulls have traditionally turned a blind eye to hobos, regarding them as minor nuisances. But the fact is that they just aren't necessary anymore. Then there's the FTRA, a surge in derailments, and organised crime's gathering shadow in many rail yards, particularly along the US borders. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By redneckhippie, February 25, 2020 in General Chat. The details are suitably murky given his preferred mode of transportation. Rarely do they ever stop in Johnson City, Nichols said of the trains. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. 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. Some community members feel Stobie was too skilled to have died while train-hopping and suspect foul play. 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. This video was made in appreciation of what Stobe had done with his YouTube channel \" Hobestobe\". At the mission in Vancouver, Quakenbush found a man who'd ridden a box-car with Clites to Eugene: Carl De Paul. redneckhippie. Its not really big enough for a place to get a shower or a job.. [2] Between 2001 and 2011, the number of deaths involving trains and motor vehicles dropped 42% to 248. Several of the homeless men remembered Clites because of his height. He told another hed open a bogus bank account, but only if he got a free toaster. It just got in my blood and I never stopped doing it. Check out his channel at \"HobeStobe\" here on YouTube. He played the piano for all his videos. He knew that freight trains rumbling and clanking past were not the cheerful, cartoony "Thomas the Train, but dark and filthy monsters that would kill you as soon as look at you. It seemed obvious that a gang was at work. Train hopping, sometimes referred to as freight hopping, is against the law in all US states . You can enjoy the scenery and not be in a rush, Nichols said. powpow99 94K views This is the reshoot with a better camera of this area in Halethorpe which is not far from. Plus messing around with special podcast lighting, new mics, mini-teleprompter (!) Get a job. People like that are misinformed. Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. Those who follow the hobo code: An ethical code was created by Tourist Union #63 during its 1889 National Hobo Convention in St. Dont take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos. Another Hap's Bar regular was Jerry "The Frog" Fortin, the 1997 National Hobo Association's "King of Hobos". He continues to encounter other train hoppers, but they are getting few and far between. 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. ", According to Writer, there are cadres within the FTRA that are more organised and vicious than others. He was from Colorado but had been in the Coast Guard in my old town, Seattle, and sometimes hung out up there. [16] In 2017, Operation Lifesaver, Inc. awarded $217,000 for rail safety public awareness campaigns in 15 states. 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. Patreon is a service that fans could subscribe and get special videos that Stobe didn't publish, and he would update his funders with almost daily videos. Today, cabooses are not used by American railroads, but before the 1980s, every train ended in a caboose, usually painted red, but sometimes painted in colors which matched the engine at the front of the train. Stobie was. Buttocks, in slang, due to a caboose being the rear end of a train. If It did happen there should be a news article or video about it. 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. Remembering Stobe the Hobo, Jim ( James) Stobie Hobos also faced the threat of violence from police, potential employers, train security (affectionally called bulls), and the strangers they approached searching for food or shelter. I'd glimpsed a white wolf, sparkling trout streams, abandoned homesteads, the stark majesty of the Bitterroot Mountains - all of it framed by box-car doors and set against an epic backdrop: the Montana portrayed recently in films such as The Horse Whisperer. As he crossed rusting tracks, Quakenbush appeared to shudder for a split second in the shadow cast by a graffiti-strewn box-car. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Our friend James Stobie, aka Stobe the Hobo, died Wednesday the 8th of November, 2017. More on this from Mark Nichols (shoestring) fb post - he's ok btw - should have lost 4 fingers but 6 operations later and now skin grafts he lost two but now maybe three but with a lot more time in hospital from his train fall. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Rip . Prisons? He wrote about a dozen books on the subject. What happened to John F Kennedy's face when he was shot? Meanwhile, investigators from Utah, Montana and Kansas contacted Quakenbush. In the United States there are some 180,000 miles of track. Near disused warehouses, I ran into a bearded, shivering man in a dirty three-piece suit. He remembers going through Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 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. The last time Artes spoke with his mother was last Saturday. Nichols has also encountered two bodies while traveling. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Railroad police, known by hobos as bulls, often check trains as they stop at yards. Can You Use Speedfit Fittings On Central Heating? Quakenbush read Silveria his rights. H. L. Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. (A super-duper-uber RV disdained by the off-the-grid warriors.). When Quakenbush first laid eyes on Silveria at Placer County Jail, his appearance and demeanour were baffling. He drank like a fish while hopping trains. Enjoy Comments SysOp: STOBE THE HOBO REP 10-12-2018, 08:51 AM #2 SysOp Gold Reputation 266 Join Date What does the idiom do something on a shoestring mean? I was headed for Missoula, and hopefully a breakfast of steak and eggs. Lured by what the writer James Michener once described as the last "red-blooded American adventure", each year an estimated 30,000 people illegally catch out from hobo encampments dotted along the 170,000 miles of track. Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved He lost his two fingers in the mishap and was cited for trespassing. In June, Silveria was tried and convicted in Tallahassee, Florida, for the murder of Willie Clark, 52, who was found clubbed to death with a metal pole that had concrete clumped at one end. For me, its traveling, Nichols said. asked Quakenbush. I have also had plenty of off time during jobs and other commitments. [1] Pedestrian railroad accidents are the leading cause of death on railways. I've had to delete some comments recently. In recent years, however, they've become aggressive in pursuing trespassers because of the railroads' increasing security concerns. He made that choice. Sadly Stobe was killed in a accident in Baltimore last year where it is speculated he got hit by a high speed Amtrak train. He showed them photographs of Clites and Pettit. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. Suddenly, a Ford Bronco, with a "bull" (railroad security guard) at the wheel, sped towards me. Hobos have been taking free rides on America's freight trains since Civil War days - they have always been a law unto themselves. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Hendershot's family couldn't be located for comment. According to some reports, his bag became tangled in the Amtrak train and he was dragged to his death. As my entire backside became numb from the cold, the train slowly screeched into life. "They robbed me and beat me half to death with a chain. Her unsolved murder gnawed at him. Drunk? His given name is Leon Ray Livingston and he was born in 1872 and he was a lifelong wanderer. used to describe two people who are often or usually together She and her sister used to be joined at the hip when they were kids. 13 tips for travelling the world on a shoestring budget, Your email address will not be published. We moved 28 times before I graduated in 89.. It's illegal to ride a freight train, and I was trespassing on railroad property. In the weeks after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, an Amtrak train was intentionally derailed in Arizona, killing one and injuring 40.