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Watch This Self-Proclaimed Idiot Hop Freight Trains To Montauk
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Gothamist Staff
Published Aug 30, 2016
Modified Aug 31, 2016
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By
Gothamist Staff
Published Aug 30, 2016
Modified Aug 31, 2016
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Filmmaker and self-proclaimed "Hobo Clown King" Jeff Seal has previously shown us how to never pay for food in NYC and revealed how much of a mess the midtown Eighth Avenue bike lane can be. For his latest endeavor, Seal filmed himself repeatedly trying to get out to Montauk by hopping freight trains. Watch his video above, then read his explanation for these shenanigans:
I wanted to make this trip ever since my friend told me about it. I liked the idea that I could catch out somewhere that was near a subway stop and then just make it back it home the same or next day. Normally, if you train hop somewhere it's a huge journey and you can spend days waiting for a train—in this case if a train didn't come I'd just take the subway home and try again another day. Also, I honestly wanted to go to Montauk; I hadn't ever been there or anywhere in Hamptons and I thought riding in a freight train would be a cool way to see it for the first time.
I wasn't super concerned about getting hurt—although sometimes I'd psyche myself out and be like, "If I lose a goddamn leg because of this I'm gonna pissed off." But, if you're very careful and you know what you're doing, you should be fine. That said, I want to stress you really need to know what you're doing. Before I hopped a train for the first time, my friend sat me down and told me all the dangers involved and how to do it safely. And he was with me the first time showing me how to do it.
"I really don't want this video to encourage anyone to go out and try this," Seal hastens to add. [Editor's note: Neither does Gothamist, which, for the record, does not recommend or endorse train-hopping! Jeff Seal's crazy!]
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