'Boes on the D&RGW narrow gauge

From what I can tell, there was less hobo activity on the San Juan Extension than other lines. Perhaps this was because the line essentially dead-ended in Durango. Narrow gauge crews rarely mentioned bums, unlike mainline railroaders, who talked about unauthorized riders all of the time. They did ride, however. In the 1930s NP telegrapher Ronald Nixon rode atop boxcars around the narrow gauge and nearly froze to death going over Poncha Pass. There were also hoboes who collected rides for bragging rights around the campfire in the hobo jungle under some truss bridge, while eating a cup of "rainbow stew", drinking that "spodie-odie". Riding narrow gauge lines was considered somewhat of a trophy among the bum aristocracy, probably because the trains were short and the operation was sporadic. However, the D&RGW (called the "Dirty Face")was held in affection by the hobo as crews were helpful and yards were absent of the cruel "yard bulls" that the Union Pacific and SP were notorious for. Yards in cities had lots of hoboes hanging around as so many roads interchanged there. A funny story I heard involved the SP and ATSF yards in Bakersfield. Apparently the yard bulls from either road would round up bums and truck them to the competing railroad's yard!