RIP Shoestring... keep ridin' that westbound train

I been watching shoe string for years good dude. RIP brother

Gutted that I have only just started watching this excellent channel this week and to hear about the sad news Hobo Shoestring has passed away so sadly. RiP to you and hope you're riding them rails out there somewhere else we're we go eventually. Been watching video after video hope the channel lives on and doesn't get closed cause people will always watch even if they have seen them already. What a lovely man you were and by what I have already watched your loved by hundreds of thousands of people and your memory will live on. Godbless and I am so glad to have found this gem of a channel. Love all the way from England ♥️

70 years ago this was a hoppin' place with huge Allegheny 2-6-6-6 engines pulling long coal trains through. Several pictures in my book collection, one of which has that coal tower.

Gonna miss you shoestring used to run that Corman line

Idk why I sit in my home and dream of being free. Just being anywhere but here, exploring what life has to offer. I truly envy you Mr. Shoestring, stay safe my friend.

Rest in paradise brother! ❤

I came down there yesterday evening to try and maybe run into you, but I reckon you were already gone. I was right there by the rice and grain shed where you had your bedroll and didn't see hide nor hair of you. I knew you were gonna be hit if you needed supplies so I brought down a couple gallons of spring water, a mess of fresh ramps I just picked, a tupperware of homemade pinto beans, and a half a skillet of cornbread. Had a couple extra cans of dip and some toilet paper too, just in case. I was down there about 6pm yesterday evening, so I guess you had already got back on the rails by then. If you ever plan to come through again, I'd love to come thru and say hi and maybe show you some of the lesser known sights. In any case, another great video. So weird seeing it on KZfaq when I was just there. Hope you had a good trip out. Thanks again Shoestring!

I love how Shoestring makes the world his playground! Keep up the exploration brother!

RIP, brother...

Love how all the comments on Marks videos are positive. I read them regularly and I can’t remember a negative one. A wholesome community.

I'll be thinking of you on May 18th. Best of luck with your op. Hope it goes well. Keep thinking positively son. God be with you. Thanks for another look at Thurmond. Just a visitor centre nowadays but quite a boomtown in its heyday. Long may it remain.

Hey shoestring I’m the guy who pulled over an got a pic with ya in Ashland brother! 🚂

Awesome that you caught Amtrak in the light! Amtrak only makes 3 round trips a week through there and it is usually in the dark. They make flag stops there. I rode Amtrak through there several times. Awesome video!

I'm not sure how this got into my videos, but I'm glad it did. I'm now a subscriber, and I enjoy your content immensely. My late father was a railroad foreman, and he worked for Southern Railways, and he was there for the merger with Norfolk in the 80s.

I still can't believe he's gone. He and Jaw Tooth were the reasons I wanted to visit Thurmond.

I just love the yellow railway hotel and the semaphore signals. I saw them when I rode the Cardinal back in September 1986, and I've never quite forgotten them.

Great video. Those trees 🌳 with thorns are Black Locust. In the early '70s my Brother and I worked for a land management company planting those to reclaim strip mines. Those places back then looked as bare as Mars! It was a shitty 10 hour workday in the middle of nowhere with a Dibble and a bag of sticks carried on the back. Amazing how much they have grown in almost 50 years. I'll bet that land is on an old strip mine!

Hello. I love your movies. I rode a freight train once in my life, about 25 km ... 30 years ago :) I wish you good health and beautiful journeys. Best greetings from Poland.

I just started watching your videos hobo shoe string. You were an amazing man and you told a lot of people about life and now that you’re gone and doing your other good deeds in the universe, I want to say thank you

You was about 25 minutes from my house wish I would have new it I would have come and meet you happy trails my friend

Watch the movie "Matewan," directed by John Sayles. James Earl Jones is in it. It was filmed in Thurmond, WV. It's about a coal mining incident in the real town of Matewan, WV, but the movie was filmed in and around Thurmond. Several steam engine scenes are in it as well

Thanks for another great train video, glad you are back! We love your channel, you are the best!

you inspire so many people.You are the best!!

Thanks for the great video Shoestring. I always like the tid-bits of useful information that you share. Like when you roll out, how you prepared the ground like that, or the reminder to always take a little walk around the area, and look back at your spot and see what it looks like. Those are a couple examples of US Army Patrol Base techniques. I think your whole set up is pretty ideal. Nicely done. I also like the information about the rails, and how to “read” them. The color variances, and rust rates you talk about always interests me. Thanks for the adventure!

You have an insane memory! I live in Pensacola at the moment and have been railfanning in Flomaton, Alabama many times. That coal tower is still there, and have always wanted to get up in it. That's so cool that you've been in it, and with the trains going right underneath it that has to be a fun place to hang out. Absolutely love your videos, and keep up the awesome work!

Right on on track Sir. Beautiful time of year in a sedate and beautiful spot 👍 Thank you.

Always a pleasure to watch your videos shoe string. May God keep on blessing you brother. Ur always in my prayers!! Keep up the great work!

I got to tour Thurmond once on an excursion train trip, and also rode Amtrak Cardinal with a historian from the NPS. What impressed me was how there were 13 passenger trains per day it’s heyday!

Sending prayers for your surgery. I loved Jawtooth’s video of Thurmound. It’s awesome to see you there as well.

Because of you and Jaw tooth, I made the trip to Thurmond this past weekend. Enjoyed the area and walked it. Thanks again for your visit and video. Got to see the falls coming into Thurmond from Glen Jean. Praying for you.

Glad you to see you stopped by Thurmond. Not a great place to find a room or a meal, or a date for that matter. But just being free from the city life, hearing the spring time animals, cool mountain air and the sound of the river and the trains would be so relaxing. looking forward to you next video brother!!!!! Stay safe!!

Shoestring, that’s a great setup with the solar cell and the battery packs! I have one of those battery packs and they are great for keeping your phone going for a long time when outdoors.

If I had plenty of gear, food, and water, I'd love to hop off there for a few days. Beautiful scenery of the mountains in the background, a nice river close by, and all that untouched nature is what I love most. Thanks for sharing this with us Shoestring! Take care! ✌❤

saw that the shirts are back ordered, Congrats man! Look foward to getting one when they restock

I guess those T shirts didn't sell like he'd hoped. Dammit. That whole segment after he hopped the open boxcar, I could see him standing in that door, smiling into the sun. Ride in peace, Sir. Ride on...

Hey Shoestring that was an awesome video. Glad you got to catch a train and make another video. Take care and have a good one and good luck on your surgery. We’ll be praying for you. 🙏👍👍👍❤️

Thanks for taking us along, I'm glad talking to us helps you from feeling alone out there.

Thurmond is amazing! You’re in my neck of the woods...Wild n Wonderful WV!

I love close-up shots of bridges!!!! Especially steel truss types. Very interesting video.

It's always good to see the country side in your videos. Be safe!

What an awesome adventure, ShoeString. Very interesting place. The river looks so cool under that bridge. I remember Jaw Tooth's video of the area as well. Its amazing how nature is slowly taking over. The view from the tower was nice. Beautiful sights.

Love the vids, and admire your sense of freedom.

The Thurman Depot was renovated in the 90s at a cost of $6 million. The end of that R.J. Corman line ends at Pax, WV not Fax.

Good for you bro 😎 seriously you doing what you love and also taking us with you on your adventures bc most of us are to caught up in every day life or to scared or lazy or both and other.. seriously bc I just found your channel not long ago like a day or 2 ago and watched a few videos and after this video I’m hitting the subscribe button 👍🏻

You make the best videos shoestring, you are the best.

Thank you for sharing Mr. Shoestring 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸👍 I plan on paying for a ride on the Cass Railroad this fall. Got family about an hr from it.

really enjoyed the video, thanks for the tour of the town!!

Awesome video Shoestring! I've been wanting to go up there and see that place after watching Jawtooth's videos! Hopefully I'll get up there sometime in the future! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for bringing us along Shoestring, we're right there with ya feller.

Hello shoestring love your videos they help me relax it's good to see all the different states and train's

Love the video Shoestring! Thurmond is my favorite place to visit and escape the crazy world for awhile!

Glad to see ya back on the rails. Be safe. Will order some T shirts. Later. Thank you

Very beautiful TY for sharing

Oh yes!!! Grand Premier of a Shoestring Original. Grab the popcorn, kick back and relax. Love ya brother Shoestring 🙂

You didn't tell us if the light came on or not. Looks like a cool place. Thank you.

Just started watching your videos a few weeks ago and in this one it was awesome to hear you mention Flomation, AL as I live only about 20 mins from there. Stay Safe!

Another great adventure, Thanks Pal.

Great video Shoestring.. Really enjoyed it

Thanks for another great video!!

Thurmond West Virginia. Friend I enjoy the new adventures.. What a perfect place to set up camp. A peaceful quiet city I enjoy it, fresh water I could drink too. WOW excellent. I love to travel, look at that information about my coal miner tower. Well now will you look at that art drawing of a Hypnotizing TV, interesting art work. WOW okay look at that, that is some copper on the track.. Climbing the light tower will be interesting but also you be climbing up to the top so be careful...

When you said it seems like you’re talking with all of us.. you are. We’re all listening. I’m so glad I got to meet you in person. I hope to again my friend.

You're the best buddy 👍, so informative.

Been looking forward to this one string!

This video was oddly therapeutic. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

Great video Hobo. Watch out for the copperheads and rattlers ! It sure does look relaxing there

Great video loved it. Good luck with your surgery on the 18th, we're rooting for you Shoestring to get well. 👍👍👍 M / M / M Mt. Man Mike

Great video. Like that L&N shirt. When I was little, used to ride the Hummingbird from Nashville to Saint Louis. One time went to ghost town in KY. 1920's building from an abandoned coal mine with old desks and papers intact. Bought a miners lamp discontinued in 1941 from a retired miner for $5!

Just got back from visiting Thurmond last weekend. Great video.

WE APPRECIATE YOU 🙏 Thanks for sharing!

You’re a national treasure, Shoestring! I like to think your name will go down in railroad history. These videos will be in the Smithsonian one day

West Virginia is beautiful, great video ❤

Love the introduction before the video, I think you should throw that in all Videos!

Nice Video Man!...Interesting area..And an Awesome Bridge!

Hello Shoestring just came across your videos of your travels and they are wonderful thanks for showing such unique places imma always Shoestring fan stay safe 🙏

I spent one night there about one year ago. Law came by after dark and spotlighted everywhere. Great video.

Hey there Shoestring! Lady viewer here, just wanted to send best wishes to you on your upcoming surgery. Those big sticks on top of poles made into a nest are usually osprey nests. They like power poles and platforms and have water nearby. Once in a while they may be hawks, eagles or ravens but most often they're osprey. We've even had them nest in the huge lights out in public baseball fields. I like viewing your train rides.

Hey brother nice to see you again , I hope all is well with you shoestring

You seem so happy. Great video!!

shoestring,I really do like this particular video.you are very amazing and i am proud of you.I might get around to ordering one of them t-shirts.anyway,love your videos,wishing you the very best.prayers and blessings.Be careful and take care.

I was in Bristol, Virginia and half of the town is in Bristol, Tennessee. I did not look thought to see if it is a different County. Great video! Enjoyed it.

Thanks for the content, Shoestring.

Got to love WV. Mountain are so nice. Bet the ride was nice to Shoestring. Stay safe out there.

Great video ,got me a t shirt ,thank you and big hugs from MN

You are definitely looking great and happy Mark 😊👍.

Shoestring, Another awesome video! You should have climbed all the way up to the top of that railroad light tower. It would have been an awesome view of the trains.

Looks like you gotta little more spring-in-your-step there Shoestring. God speed!

This really reminds me of a video that you made of another very small community. The dump or off loading for the cargo building looked real familiar to this one. It seems like it was about two years ago. I feel you and Jaw Tooth should do some more videos together. Get him out traveling the rails together and swapping some stories. Since you slept for 11 hours, then you should count it as a blessing. You must have had a really healthy rem sleep and that's the best healing and battery recharging you can get.

So glade to see you out having fun. Stay Safe

I love your humor when the train stopped. “Better let the traffic through.” 😅

I saw this place on the TV Show Mysteries of the Abandoned. Your show was 100 times better. I really dig this channel.

Hey brother, enjoyed your video, great information, thanks for sharing, keep looking up!

Great Video !!!! Awesome !!!!!!!Love it !!!!!!

Great video! I grew up in Thurmond in the 70's and 80's. Back then it had around 50 people living there. There was a post office with an actual postmaster. Most of the residents lived on the mountain above the bank. Where the truck went, there is an asphalt road up there. The bank was closed down before I was born. I remember it as a diner called the bankers club. There used to be a boarding house farther down the tracks. There was no school there, so we had to drive around 7-10 miles to Glen Jean to go to school. In between the depot & coal feeder there was a shop appropriately named C&O shop to repair engines & stuff for the railway. That caught on fire in the late 80's or early 90's and they tore it down. There was even a tavern down there called River Rat Inn. It was on the other side of the river known as Dunglen which is the site of the famous Dunglen Hotel. There is still like 5 people that live there however. It was a fun place to grow up. Always lots to do as a kid. Lots of great memories down there.

I remember people leaving a name or initials along with "was here" years ago. I agree and think it was much more commonly done many years ago. I particularly enjoy your showing the super old graffiti. It is thought provoking involving the passage of time in our lives. Thanks

Awesome. I finally got my tags in the mail. THANK YOU MARK. 🚂🤍

Nice video my dude. You got me at the 24 min mark or so when you was like time to fall. Then there's a million tons of screaming rolling steel in my soul portals lol.

Glad you keep something to protect yourself with Shoestring! I sleep with mine too!! Alone in a Ghost Town?? I couldn't sleep a wink!! You're a brave explorer!!! Love your videos ❤️🚂❤️

Im an apprentice diesel mechanic and when I qualify in 2 years im gonna take some months off, fly to the US and explore some of these places. Love your videos from australia shoestring.

I love the videos, Shoestring! Have you ever thought of writing a memoir? I am sure you have many great stories, plus your knowledge of railway history is second to none!