Riding the Rails
1997, English. Directed by Lexy Lovell & Michael Uys.
Riding the Rails offers a visionary perspective on the presumed romanticism of the road and cautionary legacy of the Great Depression. The filmmakers relay the experiences and painful recollections of these now-elderly survivors of the rails. Forced to travel more by economic necessity than the spirit of adventure, the film's subjects dispel romantic myths of a hobo existence and its corresponding veneer of freedom. Riding the Rails recounts the hoboes' trade secrets for survival and accounts of dank miseries, loneliness, imprisonment, death, and dispossession. Sixty years later, the filmmakers transport their subjects back to the tracks, where the surging impact of sound and movement resuscitates memories of a shattered adolescence and devastating rite of passage.
- Runtime
- 1h 12m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- English
- Rated
- Check local
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Where to watch Riding the Rails
Riding the Rails is streaming on PBS Documentaries in India.
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Availability in India as of 10 November 2026. Streaming data by JustWatch.
Details
- Released
- 1 January 1997
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News & fan talk
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Riding the Rails: quick answers
Is Riding the Rails worth watching?
Riding the Rails doesn’t have enough ratings for a verdict yet.
How long is Riding the Rails?
Riding the Rails runs 72 minutes (1h 12m).
Does Riding the Rails have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for Riding the Rails. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
Riding the Rails parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for Riding the Rails yet.
Which OTT platform is Riding the Rails on?
Riding the Rails is streaming on PBS Documentaries in India. (Checked 10 November 2026.)
What movies are like Riding the Rails?
If you liked Riding the Rails, try Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, McQueen, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5.
Who directed Riding the Rails?
Riding the Rails (1997) was directed by Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys and stars Richard Thomas.