BaltACDThe attraction is that it is illegal and dangerous. It's as simple and complex as that.
Many drug abusers have the philosophy that "the closer to death, the better."
Ever notice that folks who "live on the edge" usually do so in a variety of manners?
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
iowahsrailAs a recently former railroader this gives me heartburn. The commercial portrays box car riding as cool and acceptable - something to be longed for. In my humble opinion the commercial is inferring legitimacy and approval. I have never understood the allure of illegally riding trains and taking pictures on tracks. First and foremost its dangerous. It's also illegal. I know that the public affairs group in Omaha is probably in fits about this given their recent and on-going campaign to prevent trespassing.
The attraction is that it is illegal and dangerous. It's as simple and complex as that.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
dakotafred When I worked for U.P. 50 years ago, there was a policy against open boxcar empties. The idea was to discourage "illegal train riding" -- U.P.'s name for the offense -- and must have cost them a lot of resources. You seldom saw an open boxcar. My occasional excursions into U.P. territory these days show a definite loosening of that old policy. Of course, both boxcars and train hopping have fallen off from the old days. I haven't seen any legs sticking out of open boxcar doors, either.
Unfortunately I don't have the AAR rules for Interchange anymore so I'm open to correction if wrong. I seem to recall that there was a rule requiring car doors to be closed and secured before movement. I had a conversation with a mentor regarding this a few years back. One of the things he said is that carmen on the ground avoid closing doors because of the force required to close them and potential injury that could ensue. Car doors are notorious for sticking and this is exacerbated by damage that occurs through normal operations. There's also a time component - if you have a cut of 10 box cars with open doors and you have to inspect an entire train - stopping to close doors could extend an inspection and delay a departure from terminal.
Look again - she isn't alone. Just before she is brought out of her reverie, a male voice attributed to a man standing near her in the boxcar, turns out to be the man in the car talking to her. But I agree - most women wouldn't have that daydream - not even me, and I love trains.
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Moving from Cherry Hill to Camden? They must be getting one helluva tax break to move into that combat zone.
From the 'burbs to a battlefield. Interesting.
BoydSubaru is glamorizing a dangerous and illegal way of getting around. Next they should have a a commercial of kids in moon boots grabbing the rear bumper of a random Subaru at a stop sign in January and boot skiing behind it for three blocks. Just watch the helicopter parents go mad over that commercial.
Perhaps you and the others who are alarmed should send a letter to:
Subaru of America, Inc.
2235 Marlton Pike W
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
In 2017 they will move to Camden.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
Then PETA will complain the dog wasn't restrained in an approved (by them) pet seat that is more unwieldy than any child's car seat.
Why do you suspect that the dog wrangler didn't get scale? Their the ones that get paid. The dog just does as its trained.
Put hi-rail wheels on it, have her and the dog in a worn out Subaru waiting on it at a crossing.
(how many people think setting on or off with a hi-rail is automatic after Lethal Weapon 2?...) The Ad Agency dolts are the ones with the faulty thinking here. PETA (speaking of dolts) will be complaining next about the dog not getting union scale.
NKP guy Apparently Operation Lifesaver feels the need to interject itself into this controversy, rather like the Legion of Decency of old (remember how they rated movies? "Goldfinger" was "condemned"! What would they think of today's movies?). Hmmmm. Which way do we go with this?
Apparently Operation Lifesaver feels the need to interject itself into this controversy, rather like the Legion of Decency of old (remember how they rated movies? "Goldfinger" was "condemned"! What would they think of today's movies?).
Hmmmm. Which way do we go with this?
Good point NKP Guy. Seems the filming of anything railroad related has taken some steps backwards. Quick to condemn this quaint commercial involving a day dream but years ago such was widely accepted by society. Buster Keaton riding on a side rail of steam locomotive, the Little Rascals had an entire episode filmed in a rail yard with all kinds of action Operation Lifesaver would flip over. Many movies and TV shows with bad guys (or innocent ones like Richard Kimball in the Fugitive) hopping trains to avoid capture, and the list goes on.
Guess there is no enjoying the world of fantasy as the wind whips through our hair. We are a society that increasingly shys away from the assumption that the human animal does possess some form of common sense.
They make Suberus in
rrnut282 Just to inject more trains into this discussion, NS is doubling the size of South Yards in Lafayette across the road from the Subaru plant. The number of autorack loading tracks in the plant also appears to be doubling. Foreign firm or not, there is investment here in the US.
Just to inject more trains into this discussion, NS is doubling the size of South Yards in Lafayette across the road from the Subaru plant. The number of autorack loading tracks in the plant also appears to be doubling. Foreign firm or not, there is investment here in the US.
Imagine Subaru is re-thinking this ad:
Would it be OK if the female model sits in an Amtrak coach and looks out? No? Is it because it doesn't convey that sense of wind-in-your-hair freedom?
Well, what if we have her sitting on the balcony of a private railroad car she and her husband own? That way she's still outside! Wind-in-her-hair, and all that!
No, huh? Because she's still not inside the railroad car (apparently being exposed to the elements is a real no-no to the Legion of Rail Decency)? Or because anyone rich enough to own her own private railroad car wouldn't fantasize about the freedom of owning a Subaru Outback?
Women love it.
Looks like the 'featured' box car has friction bearings.
Paul_D_North_JrI think the concern is not so much that we would do it, but that impressionable or uninformed minds would think that it's OK, or take it as an example of acceptable behavior, etc. - "Well, Billy did it !"
Or, "Wow - I didn't know you could do that!"
NKP guy Firelock76 I've seen the commercial, it's well done, but I'm not sure I like that "hoppin' a boxcar" fantasy. That's not a safe way to ride a train, by any means. The tacit endorsement of doing so makes me a bit uneasy. The forum administrators can rest easy. I don't think a bunch of men who are eligible to join AARP are much interested in hopping freight trains or are very influenced by forum topics that might "glorify" hoboing. We old railfans ought to be glad that anyone else still cares about trains at all, let alone fantasizing about them. As Mae West said, "It's better to be looked over than over-looked." And leave it to Subaru to have a big dog riding along! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=splA4c8iA6I&list=PLfUeonP5HU4rj0gIvQMA0Hq2kCHEZvdoK
Firelock76 I've seen the commercial, it's well done, but I'm not sure I like that "hoppin' a boxcar" fantasy. That's not a safe way to ride a train, by any means. The tacit endorsement of doing so makes me a bit uneasy.
I've seen the commercial, it's well done, but I'm not sure I like that "hoppin' a boxcar" fantasy. That's not a safe way to ride a train, by any means.
The tacit endorsement of doing so makes me a bit uneasy.
The forum administrators can rest easy. I don't think a bunch of men who are eligible to join AARP are much interested in hopping freight trains or are very influenced by forum topics that might "glorify" hoboing.
We old railfans ought to be glad that anyone else still cares about trains at all, let alone fantasizing about them. As Mae West said, "It's better to be looked over than over-looked."
And leave it to Subaru to have a big dog riding along!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=splA4c8iA6I&list=PLfUeonP5HU4rj0gIvQMA0Hq2kCHEZvdoK
- Paul North.
Euclid Not a crossing, but it does appear that they had been driving in the ditch. Maybe the driver was texting.
Not a crossing, but it does appear that they had been driving in the ditch. Maybe the driver was texting.
Perhaps you missed the part where it's a Subaru?
My life is basically a Subaru commercial.
Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296
Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/
BLS53 Really don't see that many boxcars anymore come to think of it.
Russell
We have favorite new musician here Langhorn Slim who sounds like Cat Stevens whose voice has been silenced forever I am glad that god has heard my prayers
Where is Operation Lifesaver when you need them. AAR should be outraged Outraged and should be asking Suberu to pull this commercial.
Firelock76 BLS53 Only thing it reminded me of was the old 70's movie Boxcar Bertha, with David Carradine and a naked Barbara Hershey. I can't recall the last time I saw a door open on a boxcar on a train. Really don't see that many boxcars anymore come to think of it. I still see plenty of boxcars on CSX's old RF&P mainline running through Richmond. Can't speak for the rest of the country but they don't seem to be an endangered species around here. And yes, occasionally I do see one with an open door.
BLS53 Only thing it reminded me of was the old 70's movie Boxcar Bertha, with David Carradine and a naked Barbara Hershey. I can't recall the last time I saw a door open on a boxcar on a train. Really don't see that many boxcars anymore come to think of it.
Only thing it reminded me of was the old 70's movie Boxcar Bertha, with David Carradine and a naked Barbara Hershey.
I can't recall the last time I saw a door open on a boxcar on a train. Really don't see that many boxcars anymore come to think of it.
I still see plenty of boxcars on CSX's old RF&P mainline running through Richmond. Can't speak for the rest of the country but they don't seem to be an endangered species around here. And yes, occasionally I do see one with an open door.
I'm on the Ohio River, with four rail-barge terminals within 25 miles. Unit coal and grain rule the day. Probably why I'm not seeing boxcars.
I rather enjoyed the commercial showing the car full of dogs--especially when they reacted to the mail truck.
I'm too old to ride the rods now, so I have great difficulty getting to two places I like to visit. At leastGreyhound still has service to one of them--but the other, which used to have five or six buses each way every day now has none; I have to depend upon a friened to drive fity plus miles to meet me.
Johnny
ericspThey genetically engineered the trees to grow guacamole in jars.
Same as the genetically engineered tortilla chip bushes next door.
BLS53naked Barbara Hershey.
Back then you noticed "naked Barbary Hershey", now you're more interested in what type of engine is pulling the train. Just kidding! Just kidding.
dakotafredWhen I worked for U.P. 50 years ago, there was a policy against open boxcar empties. The idea was to discourage "illegal train riding" -- U.P.'s name for the offense -- and must have cost them a lot of resources. You seldom saw an open boxcar
During my misspent youth, I rode UP boxcars, because it was fun. Pissing off old men in fly over country has just become icing on the cake.
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