By Kathy Brower/MicroMemphis
Spotted at the corner of Southern and Highland March 5 were eight 20-somethings congregating by the railroad tracks. When approached, their first question was “Can you buy us pizza?” People who ride trains from city to city are known as "Free Riders". They are often seen around Memphis due to the city's busy train traffic.
Spotted at the corner of Southern and Highland March 5 were eight 20-somethings congregating by the railroad tracks. When approached, their first question was “Can you buy us pizza?” People who ride trains from city to city are known as "Free Riders". They are often seen around Memphis due to the city's busy train traffic.
Known as “Freight hopping”, people will gather in rail yards to sneak onto trains during crew change and ride them illegally. It has been going around ever since train travel started, and is still happening.
These people were from everywhere around the United States, from Florida to Michigan. They wouldn’t say much about why they started hopping trains.
Free Riders don't have jobs, thus refer on the generosity of others.
Turns out, some of them were in a band called “Rail Yard Ghosts” that had show on March 2, 2013 at DeCleyre Cooperative, 787 Ellsworth, and March 4, 2013 at another Memphis location. They had their banjo and their furry, four-legged friend wearing a backpack along for the ride.
This is Rail Yard Ghosts Facebook profile picture. The band play folk/hardcore music at different locations and gets there by traveling on the train.
Freight hopping is illegal and highly dangerous, but that doesn't seem to stop them.
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