Way back when, long before 9/11, my cousins and I were in Sparks, NV. We wandered over to the tracks and noticed one of the trains moving very, very slowly, and then coming to a stop. All three of us impulsively climbed on one of the metal ladders and held on when the train started to move again. It stopped after a few seconds, and I climbed down after a fifty foot ride, never to board a freight again. Does that count?

I have not but I have done a lot of traveling

Had a daughter that did that. Most stressful year of my life. I'm pretty sure she was trying to kill me. She says it was just a great adventure. Uh huh...

Very cool stories
What we did when we were young
I always went for the scenic train rides
Once through the redwoods of northern cal
Last one was from minturn to pueblo in Colorado

I have hopped trains as a kid for very short rides but never as a hobo.

My sister and I hitchiked from Post Falls, Idaho, to Spokane, Washington and hopped on the train from there.

Worst pain I've ever felt was when I was sleeping and the train stopped - sliding my body, head first into the wall of the train. It was there that they came around with flashlights and said "Everybody out - ride's over." I think we were somewhere between the tri-cities and Portland. It's a good memory.

From there we hitchhiked to the San Fernando Valley.

I did a lot of Hitch Hiking in my younger days. Its a more direct way of travel.

Never hopped a fright train but I have hopped a freight train. I dated a professional hobo for a while

I had a friend in high school who lived 10 miles away, we would hop a slow slow train heading that way and ride the flat cars almost to his doorstep. After we got our driver's licenses that stopped.

i love travelling by train, have never been afraid of them.

Yup.
And lived out of a backpack - walking.
And out of my car - tent & camp gear.
All by choice. Met some cool people, had a good time.