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.
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.
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services.
More details
