What to Ride

Box Cars

Box cars obviously need to have an open door. You can set up a hammock in a box car, and they are nice in bad weather. You should always jam something in the door to keep it from shutting. Don't rely on a single spike or similar device to block a box car door open. A good jolting stop can slam the door despite what you thought would make a door stop. Use something BIG. Choose a car where the door is in the opposite direction so that a sudden stop would tend to open it rather than close it.

Covered Hoppers

You can ride on one end of a covered hopper. The hopper is identified by having rounded sides that bulge out. These usually have a mostly flat, large platform on one end and are a nice ride in good weather. You can also hide in the hole if need be.

Gondolas

The gondola usually halls scrap metal or garbage, but if you can find a clean one it might be a nice ride. Make sure the sides are low enough so you can get out. Never ride a gondola that is not empty.

Piggybacks

The piggy carries trucks. You can sit behind one of the tires, or hide underneath the rear truck axle if you don't want to be seen. NEVER sit under the "hitch" end of a piggyback trailer. While they are mostly reliable, defects or improper setup could allow the trailer to drop down. In fair weather, either an empty or half full trailer flat makes a dandy modern day vista-dome. The sights are killer with no roof! Don't let your hat blow off!

Engines

If the weather really sucks, you can ride in one of the back units of a string of engines. What you're supposed to do is wait until the train is just about to leave before getting in the last unit. Then hide out in the bathroom (usually in the nose) until the train gets rolling. Then you can come out and have a seat. Just don't play with any of the trains controls.

Container Cars

Container, well, or stack cars hold large shipping containers and have a well that the container sits in. If the container is a little too short to fit in the car, then there is a nice empty space on each end. Always ride the back end. Not all well cars have a bottom; identify rideable ones by the ribbed sides.

Lumber Racks

NEVER ride on a loaded lumber rack. Lumber loads are notorious for shifting. This is one of the most common sources of injury to riders.