Freighthopping

Freighthopping or train hopping is the act of surreptitiously hitching a ride on a railroad freight car. In the United States, this became a common means of transportation following the American Civil War as the railroads began pushing westward, especially among migrant workers who became known as "hobos." It continued to be widely used by those unable to afford other transportation, especially during times of widespread economic dislocation such as the Great Depression. Today, the practice is forbidden by statute in all states in the U.S., though it is still practiced. In modern day usage, hopping a freight train is also known as "catching out" or "hopping out."