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Society & Culture

City of the Rails

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About the show

When journalist Danelle Morton’s daughter skips town to hop trains, she follows her into the train yard, and across America. Join Danelle as she travels the country to understand what drew her daughter into the hidden world of the railroads. Her guides are the rail cops, train engineers, and hobos she meets along the way, each of them with their own extraordinary tales of the beauty and brutality of the rails. A mother/daughter story unfolds across a landscape of vast open spaces and filthy backstreets, as Morton learns how railroads shaped the modern world - from creating our time zones and QR codes, to the first lobbyists and unions. The story of the rails is the story of America, and through 10 episodes, Morton reckons with our history, and her family history, as she tries what she can to bring her daughter home.

Latest episodes

  • Fans Calling: A Bonus Episode of City of the Rails

    February 7, 2024 · 13 min

    City of the Rails passes a million downloads! Cause for a celebration, and a chance to thank all of you who sent so much love.  To mark this big achievement, we  made a bonus episode featuring just some of the hundreds of voicemails we got…

  • Living By The Tracks — E10

    March 15, 2023 · 1 hr 1 min

    Danelle visits with a kindred spirit, and reckons with the past. Ruby and Danelle finally talk about it. Kiwi weighs in and looks back on Profane Sass. Danelle pursues several new leads. Plus CC Rider, a Western bar, and a road dog named…

  • Fire in New Orleans — E9

    March 8, 2023 · 50 min

    When a fire takes the lives of Ruby’s friends, Danelle realizes no one else will tell their stories. A reporting trip to New Orleans with Ruby presents Danelle with an opportunity to get closer, and get new answers. Members of hobo band…

  • All The Livelong Day — E8

    March 1, 2023 · 52 min

    When the boss wants you gone, it’s only a matter of time, and this rolls out extra nastily on the railroad. In this episode, the story of Nickie Jackson, and how she was hounded by the railroad. Danelle digs deeper and Ruby tells her about…

  • Cops & Robbers — E7

    February 23, 2023 · 54 min

    Danelle heads to El Paso, Texas to get the lowdown on the rail cops – the private police with federal powers who report only to the railroads. In a border town, rail cops are the most powerful entities, but is that such a good thing? One…

  • Whistle Stop

    February 22, 2023 · 3 min

    We'll be right back. Thanks for all the love! Danelle's playlist of modern hobo music here: https://tinyurl.com/hobomusic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • The Comfort Offensive — E6

    February 15, 2023 · 50 min

    Ruby is coming home for Christmas, and Danelle has a plan to try to get her to stay — before she has to move out of her apartment. Danelle meets Cary Westcott, who walked through hell trying to find his daughter on the rails, and managed…

  • Tramp Town, USA — E5

    February 8, 2023 · 39 min

    Danelle heads to Colton, CA, a freight crossroads where anything that can happen to a hobo usually does, and has questions for the cops. Danelle gets news about her book deal, and uncovers Colton’s creation by some of the Wild West’s most…