The Underground World of Real Life Vagabonds

Posted by Mike Richard on October 22, 2007
Filed under: Photography, Sidelines

Like what you see? Subscribe to the full RSS feed.

Years ago, over drinks one night, my clean-cut yuppie roommate turned to me and said: “F**k it. We should just quit our jobs and ride the rails around the U.S.”

He was rarely serious about such ludicrous, idealistic off-the-cuff comments. But the sincerity in his voice told me that if I was on board (so to speak), we’d leave tomorrow.

We were both 22 years old and it was one of those ideas that, at the time, made sense and seemed without real consequence. But I told him he was nuts and we both raised our beers and got up the next day for our morning return to cubicle hell. Part of me wondered: do people really still do that? I pictured Boxcar Willie in stained corduroys, a tattered wide-brimmed hat, and the requisite bottle of Old Granddad.

As it turns out, the vagabond lifestyle is alive and well.

Railway Vagabonds

Railway Vagabonds

Railway Vagabonds

Railway Vagabonds

This intriguing, heartbreaking and poignant photo essay tells the tale. (Warning: contains some graphic photos)

All photos © Ziza.es

If you liked this post, subscribe to our full feed RSS. You can also subscribe by email and have new posts delivered directly to your inbox daily.



Vagabondish editor, Mike Richard, lives in Rhode Island - a spit of land in the northeastern U.S. He is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats, small, declarative sentences and speaking in the third person.



Like This Post? You Might Also Like:

Our Sponsors

Comments

Debo Hobo
October 22nd, 2007 - 3:47 pm

They can’t be for real, those have to be models for some high fashion designer. Please say it ain’t so.


Mike
October 22nd, 2007 - 4:30 pm

You would think so, Debo. It certainly looks that way.

But I’m afraid it’s the real deal.


Ben
October 22nd, 2007 - 6:44 pm

I too have always wondered whether people actually still hopped trains, and I was really enjoying the set - then the last shot killed it for me.

Seriously, a f*cking possum?! They’re going to eat a possum?!?!


Rene
October 22nd, 2007 - 8:05 pm

Hey next time warn us about blood and guts! Eeew!


Mike
October 24th, 2007 - 9:31 am

Sorry about the graphic content, all. I’ve added a disclaimer to the original post.


[…] Vagabondish. And btw, if you haven’t read Vagabondish, you should. Especially if you love the more […]


Crystal
October 26th, 2007 - 12:02 am

I hang out with train hoppers and squatters at times.. but they’re usually crust-punks. The kids in these pictures look like gypsies lol


al "hopper" costantopolous
March 16th, 2008 - 4:55 pm

ive been thru the mill. train hopping myself for 10 yrs. “hopper” was known by, bridgeport, ct. spent most of my misery in new orleans. that was my bi-polar without meds journey. yes, its real. very real. gutterpunks, runaways, vagabonds, whatever u callem. its just a way of life thats been around as long as the freight train.


Charles
April 13th, 2008 - 12:23 am

Hello All,

I have been back and forth to Richmond,VA and am by no means a hopper. Whenever I am on Carey St. in Richmond. I see a group of these “Hoppers” and most times I hand them a few bucks. I became curious and found this site and others with the same photo essay. Does anyone know who took the photos and where they were taken . One of the guys in the set was in Richmond this weekend. There should be more about these modern day vagabonds. They seem like very interesting people. Maybe a little on the edge but it seems like that is what life’s about, especially that particular life style.


jp
July 18th, 2008 - 10:11 pm

is hoppin still possible


Emily
August 3rd, 2008 - 9:27 pm

Of course it is.
The thing is is that you have to be very discreet and not ruin it for other hoppers.
Once you hop….you’ll never stop


lance
August 5th, 2008 - 2:31 pm

the photographer is the polaroid kidd. mike brodie is his real name


matt
August 17th, 2008 - 11:31 pm

Hey, these guys are just surviving, you might think it strange but its just another lifestyle different from the large group, and I respect them for the decisions.