AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

Riding the Rails

Airdate TBA (Check Listings)

During the Depression-era in the 1930s, tens of thousands of teenagers hopped freight trains in search of a better life elsewhere. What they discovered was a mixture of adventure, camaraderie, hardship and loneliness. They saw a country in turmoil and found experiences that affected them for the rest of their lives — their ultimate freedom traded for despair, joblessness and even death. Through first-hand accounts, this program recalls the stories of teen drifters crisscrossing America during tough times. Richard Thomas narrates.