Finally, Quakenbush's persistence paid off. For me, its traveling, Nichols said. Get a job. People like that are misinformed. 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. Some of them are rich, some of them famous, the actor Christian Slater among them. Why Diesel? Suddenly, a Ford Bronco, with a "bull" (railroad security guard) at the wheel, sped towards me. Close to the tracks stood a row of stone buildings: a pawn shop, a thrift store and Hap's Bar, rumoured to be where the FTRA was founded in the early Eighties. c : repel. These accidents cause 600 deaths and injure about 2,300. : to pay for something His parents footed the bill for his college education. Finally, he fell asleep, huddled in a corner at the end of a metal box-car. Then there's the FTRA, a surge in derailments, and organised crime's gathering shadow in many rail yards, particularly along the US borders. More than 7,200 pedestrians have been killed by trains in the United States since 1997. Where is stobe the hobo buried? Stobe was an artist. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. [1] Pedestrian railroad accidents are the leading cause of death on railways. 00kissmarrykick00, Coywolf, Jakethehobosexual and 3 others. Scenic routes such as the Billygoat are particularly popular with growing numbers of "weekend riders", especially in the summer. "I ran into the FTRA a few times in Helena," he grumbled. Is stobe the hobo died? Like much of YouTube, its unsubstantiated and sketchy. ", Quakenbush now realised that he had his man. Do you think some fuckers pushed him over because they had some stupid idea that hid videos were , " burning the rails" . Burton girls; Twin Springs boys win 2nd straight region title, VHSL HOOPS: Eight state quarterfinals on tap tonight for local squads, Five new businesses set to come to The Pinnacle, VHSL QUARTERFINALS: Floyd County (boys), Wise Central (girls), J.I. How many cars get hit by trains in the US? He was from Colorado but had been in the Coast Guard in my old town, Seattle, and sometimes hung out up there. There are lot of thoughtful posts. As the railcars arrive, the bottom opens and cars drop coal several stories below onto a waiting truck. She liked to say, One person plus an typewriter is a movement. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. According to Johnson, "Silveria cheerfully said he was a member of the FTRA, but said that the FTRA had gotten a bad name based on the actions of a few.". [16] In 2017, Operation Lifesaver, Inc. awarded $217,000 for rail safety public awareness campaigns in 15 states. Then he washed his bloodied hands and face in a nearby stream and put on Pettit's clothes. He backed it up with his tinkly, rambling piano. Genuine train hobos attended throughout the 20th century, but in the absence now of real hobos, the event has gone country-fair mainstream. Robert Silveria, suspected member of a gang of railriding hobo killers with a penchant for white supremacy, told police in 1995 that he'd bludgeoned a dozen drifters to death with rocks and axes. Why do trains not use cabooses anymore? Hendershot died from blunt force trauma to the mid-section, so she could have been hurt falling or by coal falling on her. James Stobie was the most famous train-hopping hobo on the internet. Many went by nicknames or monikers that kept their identities concealed from strangers, police, train workers, and one another. Succession of short sounds : an attempt to attract attention to the train. 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. Quakenbush asked whether any of them had come across the name "Sidetrack". What happened at the end of Baptiste Season 2? He was 33. 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 could hear my heart pounding as I ducked behind a pile of fresh-cut logs. The train ran over his fingers. informal. Stobie was. In three days, you can be on the other side of the country. 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. "What are you doing in my space?" America is a nation based on migration. Ive done and tried almost everything on Earth, and nothing makes me more happy and sound than riding trains and being free, Nichols said. Railroad police, known by hobos as bulls, often check trains as they stop at yards. Ya gotta stay clean or it isn't much fun. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. How many cars get hit by trains in the US? The hobo also sells items on eBay, like his $7 harmonica and an old hat that he said went for $156. With a jerking motion the train pulled away, out of Helena, and up a long incline towards the 6,000ft Continental Divide that stretches down the Rockies. Some cops have a code for such deaths: N-H-I - no humans involved. He always made so many bad decisions," she said. Elated but exhausted, I finally arrived in Spokane just as the sun was going down. 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. Please, YouTubers are clogging the globe, GoPro cameras at arms length, seemingly talking to themselves, and imploring us to hit "Like" and ring bells. Its a business lunch, so the company is footing the bill. Some community members feel Stobie was too skilled to have died while train-hopping and suspect foul play. It looked like a clear-cut case of serial murder. I am not homeless and never have been. 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. He wrote about a dozen books on the subject. 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. But in recent years, the old camaraderie has given way to violence and murder. Nichols videos led him to befriend a local family because the son watched them and became fascinated with the railroad lifestyle. How did he fall? One said Clites had been in a mission in Vancouver, Washington, on December 4, 1995. He also had a half gallon of water for the trip. The last time Artes spoke with his mother was last Saturday. But now the 37-year-old transient who calls himself "Sidetrack" has recanted his confession, turning . But the fact is that they just aren't necessary anymore. . He said many participants move on with their lives away from the railroad, while others continue the railroad lifestyle. According to some reports, his bag became tangled in the Amtrak train and he was dragged to his death. 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. He was the beloved Son of Michael J Stobie (Thornton) and Mary Stobie Lechman (Wheat Ridge); Brother of Lily Ribeiro; Brother in law to Wagner Ribeiro ; Uncle to Noah and Bianca Ribeiro Longmont); Grandson of Marilyn Stobie (Ukiah, California); Nephew to Timothy Stobie (Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts) and Catherine Stobie (Fort Bragg, I'm sure they thought the train would go from one yard to another." redneckhippie. I've had to delete some comments recently. He always said how dangerous and time fonsuming it was, his last 4 months the what should i do stobie threw out there a bunch of ideas on trips, asking flr patreon or paypal donations to do a more through and planned out trip for our very eyes. America's first known railroad serial killer then hit Garfinkle at least 13 times with an axe-handle. Pauli Murray was an inspiration to me while in college. Artes, 25, and Hendershot, 22, were found Sunday in coal by power plant workers. Quakenbush attended the autopsy of Michael Andrew Clites, 24. 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. The FRA believes that providing the location of rail crossings in maps will enhance crossing safety by people who are using navigation systems while driving. He taught himself how to flirt with danger, and so could they. If It did happen there should be a news article or video about it. 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. More than 7,200 pedestrians have been killed by trains in the United States since 1997. He has set up a GoFundMe account to raise funds to fly northwest and hop on a train in Alaska, a state he fondly remembers. A guy got hit and killed by a train and suddenly it's because he was walking along the tracks. MCC. They wanted to spend winter in Florida because it was warm. ( 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. I was hitchhiking and trying to get to Denver. Around 2am, I decided to call it a night at Hap's Bar. However, its a misdemeanor in most states. That's so true.I'm still sort of at a loss.Thanks for filling in the details.It's a dangerous ride we ride for sure. Please subscribe to keep reading. Required fields are marked *. You have permission to edit this article. 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. 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. They always have someone who cares about them somewhere. In high school, he embraced the punk rock scene and met some "traveler kids," his mother said. Enjoy Comments SysOp: STOBE THE HOBO REP 10-12-2018, 08:51 AM #2 SysOp Gold Reputation 266 Join Date He remembers going through Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A hobo is an individual who travels by train and works for a living, he said. Like the tiny-housed, they live off the grid and on propane tanks and oddball toilets. McLean's dog was also stabbed. Rip . . What happened to Meriwether Lewis in the end? Each was investigating the murder of a transient that had happened within the previous eight months. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The industry has reduced its support of the group's efforts by providing fewer workers to help spread the group's safety message. Its unknown, but the Norfolk Southern Railroad passes through the center of the city. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Offered a camping stove by Silveria, Stanley refused it believing it was "hot" - stolen. I arrived in Portland, Oregon, eight hours later. 13 tips for travelling the world on a shoestring budget, Your email address will not be published. "Stobe was an artist. The family eventually let Nichols live with them for a while, and in the spring he moved into his first home, an apartment in Johnson City. His favorite train car: the boxcar. [13] After several deaths in Villa Park, Illinois, safety advocates built fences at spots where people would often walk across train tracks. A hobo is a migrant worker or homeless vagrant, especially one who is impoverished. While the lives of hobos were grounded in a community, they were semi-detached from the financial hardships of their realities back home. . 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. ", Hobos have been taking free rides on America's freight trains since Civil War days - they have always been a law unto themselves. 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". 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. 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. In the Thirties, when a million Americans "caught out" - jumped a train - and wandered the West looking for work to avoid starvation, countless thousands were crushed between carriages or simply fell to their deaths from moving trains. Hobo Shoestring is dying of cancer. "Hey," the bull said. Last summer in North Dakota, a group of teenagers jumped Fortin, beat him nearly to death with a baseball bat and stabbed him five times before taking his boots and backpack. He wore new shoes and even his backpack was new.". With a great deal of effort I managed to pull myself up into an open box-car, five feet above the tracks. 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. Nichols has also encountered two bodies while traveling. This new bunch are dirty - they defecate in camps, do hard drugs, don't give a damn.". Journey's end was not the Pacific but the rail yard in Salem where William Pettit Jr was killed by Robert Silveria. It was then he began climbing aboard freight trains for short trips, either to get around, or for the experience. Got me when I was asleep.". JavaScript is disabled. For more information, visit BrittHoboDays.com. Over 50 million of them around the world are uploading 500 hours of video every minute. Our friend James Stobie, aka Stobe the Hobo, died Wednesday the 8th of November, 2017. The railroads have become the last refuge of the destitute, moving from place to place collecting welfare benefits, hoping to find something better. This group is for Stobe related content from Stobe fans, there are lots of groups for riders and foamers to post things about trains and your personal trips. Stobe the Hobo shot one of his last videos here. Some 11,000 viewers, occasionally including me -- paltry compared to some YouTube superstars -- followed James Stobie and his risky, and illegal, train hopping. 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. I loved his videos. Cheyenne WY. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. . What happened to Christopher Reeves to make him paralyzed? Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. Who is shoestring? By redneckhippie, February 25, 2020 in General Chat. No one much cared until a few determined police officers began to suspect a serial killer was at work. Farid and Amir stop in Jalalabad to spend the night . There's no longer any reason to drag a caboose around." Bob Grandinetti was about to retire after 30 years' service with the Spokane Police Department, 12 of them patrolling the rail yards. b : to send away : reject, dismiss. He discovered that there were several initiation rituals for those joining the FTRA, and that there was a "Goon Squad" - a group of 50-100 FTRA "enforcers" - which maintained discipline among the gang. When finally apprehended, he had 28 food stamp accounts around America, and was picking up $119 from each one, each month. Diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines. Toothless, his face was prematurely aged by travelling more than a million miles in often extreme weather. Nichols has been arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing about two dozen times, he said. I tell people the best way to enjoy traveling is always the safe way, says Connecticut Shorty, a former hobo queen, as crowned at the National Hobo Convention that takes place the second week of August, every year since 1900, in Britt, Iowa. (A super-duper-uber RV disdained by the off-the-grid warriors.). 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! Trace the hobo stove in the middle of the metal piece. After about seven or eight years of 24/7 doing that, I pretty much learned the North American continent, Nichols said. He was from Colorado but had been in the Coast Guard in my old town, Seattle, and sometimes hung out up there. A train geek who rigs up his Amtrak roomette with Go-Pro, GPS, maps, laptop, and walkie-talkie to follow railroad chatter, A Canadian in charming, downtown North Korea, A Russian college student who spent a year in the U.S., and now because of Ukraine, will leave her homeland, French chefs cooking, and Parisians trying to pronounce English words like "Massachusetts", Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the "Godmother of Rock & Roll," and C&W singer J.J. Cale, An amiable English chap chugging along the UK's canals on a narrowboat, Tiny-house owners many of whom seem to be young women, though an older Earth mother built a "Hobbit Hut" in Wales with a roof buried under foliage, The comings and goings of the dinky Shelter Island, N.Y., ferries, Comedians Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Ricky Gervais and Seor Wences, An Englishman who speaks Russian roam the former USSRs ragged villages and old buildings, downing moonshine with babushkas (grannies) and vodka with a widower near Chernobyl, Young Americans, maybe fans of the Brit, poke through abandoned mental hospitals, prisons, and the most unsettling shopping malls. He rode his first train while traveling through Laramie, Wyoming. asked Garfinkle upon his return. Six-foot-four and heavily tattooed, Clites had been riding the rails for six months when he met Silveria. "I have Silveria." Farid is dismissive of Amir and tells him that Amir has always been a tourist in Afghanistan because the way of life that he knew was foreign to most Afghanis. Although Stobe never really at least documented riding an auto rack in his life, he did gain a lot of knowledge over time and even co-rode with at least one of our fellow STP members. H. L. Hobo Stobe in my movie was an alcoholic. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Can You Use Speedfit Fittings On Central Heating? Pedestrian railroad accidents are the leading cause of death on railways. An academic "top gun", he never did drugs, meditated three times a day, and ran a successful business. Unlike a tramp, who works only when forced to, and a bum, who does not work at all, a hobo is a traveling worker. He stinks. Passenger trains have dwindled, but the freight trains trundle endlessly on, still offering the chance of a free ride. . The United States Department of Transportation administers various regulatory bodies, the most relevant to railway safety being the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Mark Nichols riding on the pusher-unit of a shuttle grain train bound for the Port of New Orleans on the "KCS.". Most often, it was later revealed, Silveria would wait until his victims were asleep or drunk, and then cave in their skulls with a blunt object or baseball bat. 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. I clambered between a couple of trains and, after ten minutes of jogging alongside the junk, I found an open box-car - first-class travel for any hobo, offering protection from the wind and rain and magnificent views through the open doors. Hobos have been taking free rides on America's freight trains since Civil War days - they have always been a law unto themselves. What exactly happened here? Above all, as any hobo will tell you, don't join anyone else in a box-car. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. I learned by myself.. The Silveria case broke open when Union Pacific Railroad police found another body in a box-car near the Willamette River in Portland. How did the Great Depression affect the hobo life? In Eugene, Quakenbush interviewed several groups of homeless men. 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. None are pretty, no death in the history of humanity is dignified. It means he rides around from place to place, stowing away on board trains. A hobo is a migrant worker or homeless vagrant, especially one who is impoverished. 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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. Link to comment Share on other sites. He lost his two fingers in the mishap and was cited for trespassing. After the 2005 death of a young boy, the city of San Jose, California built a pedestrian overpass. Like many, he looked for ways to occupy himself. Birth 23 Oct 1984 Denver, Denver County, Colorado, USA; Its fame for a certain crowd. Her unsolved murder gnawed at him. We moved 28 times before I graduated in 89.. I was headed for Missoula, and hopefully a breakfast of steak and eggs. Quakenbush read Silveria his rights. The Utah victim had been beaten over the head with a board and stabbed in the ear. What does the idiom do something on a shoestring mean? Done, done, done. Its got its ups and downs. Your email address will not be published. According to the US Department of Transportation, there are about 5,800 train-car crashes each year in the United States, most of which occur at railroad crossings. Hobos often get confused with other individuals living on the streets, Nichols said. She described her son as nave and trusting. Whats The Difference Between Dutch And French Braids? Stobe the Hobo died five years ago in Baltimore. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? 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. According to detective Wade Harper of Emeryville Police Department in northern California, Garfinkle then met Robert Silveria near Emeryville, America's largest switching yard, just outside Sacramento. Trains, being large and heavy, need the optimal brake line pressure for its efficient stopping. I decided to "catch out" anyway. Thats usually where I go to catch a train out of here.. He played the piano for all his videos. I have to get out and do something.. Mark Nichols nearing Heavener, Oklahoma, on KCS.