Train on the Brain

Sadly it's been a few years since I seen Train On The Brain, as I believe it has only appeared on Channel Four twice (that I know of). The documentary has stuck with me however and years on I still think about this great story. It meant so much to me, as I've always dreamt of doing something similar and this documentary has caught that dream perfectly. The freedom of travelling the freight network and the danger shown is always filmed with an open-mind.

There are so many beautifully filmed shots, the train cutting through striking countryside with the music of Beck (Jackass) is just one. The Hobo-Convention is possibly the highlight, were they crown a hobo king and queen. The expected winner a beautiful girl called Firecracker joins Alison Murray for part of the journey and is just one of many interesting characters. This documentary shows that a few lucky people among us cant be tied down to the prison that is modern society. 10

Alison Murray gave up a job in London to ride the rails on our declining freight network. The stock looks old, at least to me, and the conditions in those freight cars are anything but comfortable. She and her companions bake in the heat or are chilled to the bone in rainy weather. They are always dirty. The bath in the lake when they reach their destination is always dramatic and pleasurable.

Sometimes they are removed from the train by police, but more often the problem is getting on a train going the wrong way, or meeting people they don't like. There's a hobo convention to attend--watch for Firecracker, a teenage girl, to galvanize the crowd. Primitive sound and camerawork, but can you blame them?

I really liked this documentary. As a showcase of life on the rails, it is very gritty and open-minded. The people that Allison meets are loners (mostly youths) and they put up with all sorts of awful living conditions as they cart themselves around North America. I always had it in my mind that train hitching would be a great time, a parallel escape accompanied by lots of great scenery. But, even at best, it is a trying experience. The riders are pestered by the elements, slow trains and the threat of getting caught. And don't even get me started about the noise. I would recommend this to anyone who loves to travel. It gives the viewer a chance to see the reclusive world of life on the rails.