American Experience: Riding the Rails

Since the invention of railroads there has been a romantic notion of jumping a train, bound for anywhere and nowhere. This compelling documentary, however, exposes what life on the rails was really like at its peak during the Great Depression, when an estimated 250,000 children and teenagers were forced to hop on out of necessity. "Riding the Rails" (1997) combines archival photos and rarely seen footage with interviews from witnesses and former riders, including a 72-year-old who still jumps trains. Thesoundtrack includes folk music of the era from Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rodgers, and Doc Watson.