1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:00,560 Speaker 1: Nielle. 2 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 2: Look, just did I give you a ring from Australia 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 2: where I've been listening to that fantastic story of yours 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: and your beautiful writing. I've enjoyed it enormously and it 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: reminds me so much of the time when I was 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: on the road lost in America. I did ride a 7 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 2: number of trains and set in a number of box 8 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 2: cars along the way anyway, I thought I'd just play 9 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 2: you one of the songs that I used to play 10 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 2: a lot when I was around. 11 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 3: Right here it cars. 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 4: Thank you Australian fan for that great Harmonica solough that 13 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 4: brings us back to the City of the Rails, which 14 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 4: just passed a million downloads, one million amazing. In honor 15 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 4: of this, we decided to celebrate you, guys, the audience, 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 4: hundreds of thousands of you were drawn to this unusual 17 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 4: story set in a world most of you had seen 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 4: but ever thought about. You left us some incredible voicemails. 19 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 4: I'm Dannelle Morton and this is our bonus episode to 20 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 4: thank the fans of the City of the Rails. 21 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Dino. Hey, I just finished with what 22 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 5: I know is is the final episode of City of 23 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 5: the rails and holy crap, I used to live in Colton, 24 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 5: you know. I have been over that Rancho off ramp 25 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 5: and always looked down and saw encampments of tents and 26 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 5: people hanging out down there, and I'm like, oh, you know, jeez, 27 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 5: poor homeless people. And then you know, it all clicked. 28 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 5: And same with the Pepper streets. You just enlightened me 29 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 5: to the Colton scene, which I knew nothing, absolutely nothing about. Man, 30 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 5: I just could not stop listening to your podcast two 31 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 5: thirty in the morning. I'm up, I gotta listen more. 32 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 5: I gotta here, I gotta get addicted, absolutely got addicted. 33 00:01:59,640 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 6: Hi. 34 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 5: I just wanted to say I've been really enjoying the 35 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 5: podcast forty year old Marine mechanic renching on boats over 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 5: in Rhode Island in the middle of the winter. 37 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: Really and enjoy your work. 38 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 7: It's visceral. 39 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 8: It really is well done. 40 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 9: First and foremost, I just want to say that I'm 41 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 9: a prolific reader. 42 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 3: I love watching movies and very very rarely do I 43 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 3: go back. 44 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 8: And experience something more than once to I just started 45 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 8: my third time listening to this program. 46 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 5: Of these episodes, this podcast today and I'll find it phenomenal. 47 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 10: Hey, I'm calling from s Water, Minnesota, and I just 48 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 10: want to praise you and your whole crew. 49 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: I'm an uber driver among other things. 50 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 10: It's like my third job. But you know, I listen 51 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,119 Speaker 10: to you while I'm driving, and I have passengers get 52 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 10: super into your podcast. They don't always get into my podcast, 53 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 10: but yours. 54 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:01,399 Speaker 7: They love. 55 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 10: It's interesting, and I think it's brilliant to bring on 56 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 10: subjects that we don't know. 57 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 11: About, those average, you know, American here right in front 58 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 11: of our face. 59 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 10: You guys to bring it in this world. 60 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 4: Not all of you loved it unconditionally, though. We got 61 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,399 Speaker 4: criticized for not identifying queer writers. 62 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,839 Speaker 6: Who do you want to talk to about queer relationships 63 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 6: on the rails, Because I know you said that like 64 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 6: most people will hook up with like most women will 65 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 6: hook up with a man for like safety and companionship 66 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 6: on the royals, But what about queer people, because I'm sure, 67 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 6: I'm sure clear relationships are also existing there. 68 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 4: Others asked if this world was different for writers of color. 69 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 12: I think it's really interesting about the subcultures and kind 70 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 12: of like the freedom connected with just this hobo like lifestyle. 71 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 12: Something I am kind of curious about I'm a black man, 72 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 12: and I'm wondering, like what the kind of racial makeup 73 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 12: of the like kind of hobo camps and the what 74 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 12: kind of hobo community is because a friend and I 75 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 12: were talking about it, and it kind of seems that 76 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 12: like being an invisible kind of vagrant seems like that 77 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 12: would be kind of like privilege, like a privileged like 78 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 12: white thing. 79 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 4: And one daughter of a rail cup felt we glorified 80 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 4: something that is incredibly dangerous. 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 9: People jumping the rails is a big problem, and you 82 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 9: want to glorify. 83 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 5: That life. 84 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 9: Yes, you do show there are some downsides to it, 85 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 9: but you make it seem very attractive. I just think 86 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 9: that you haven't done justice to the other side. 87 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 4: Of just one listener didn't want me, someone from outside 88 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 4: this secret world to tell this story at all. 89 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 3: I don't think you're a good journalist. 90 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 12: I think you're an outsider and you can go fuck yourself. 91 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 4: There were also messages from writers and near writers for 92 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 4: whom the podcast made them want to take to the rails. 93 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 8: I just want to say that I really really do 94 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 8: enjoy your podcast and I connect with it. I wanting 95 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 8: to explore and see what that is inside of you 96 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 8: that wants to just leave and go. And I mean 97 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 8: life trying to make it in regular society can be 98 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 8: just as grueling and hard and difficult, not knowing what 99 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 8: you want to do. And I've been going from job 100 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 8: to job to job to job, trying to figure out 101 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 8: what is it that I love? What is it that 102 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 8: I love that's worth doing. It's not easy to determine, 103 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 8: Like you know, living, you know, everything's expensive, like every 104 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 8: once in a while, and I just want to get 105 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 8: out of dead. I want to get the fuck out 106 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 8: of here. 107 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 4: I hear you on that point, and so do many 108 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 4: others repeating Mama's questions why do you do what you do? 109 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 10: Such an awesome show came at a very important time 110 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 10: in my life. I used to ride trains, and I 111 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 10: just recently a year ago, bought a house, and I 112 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 10: have a job, a corporate job, and I guess I 113 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 10: had a birthday recently and had kind of like an 114 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 10: existential crisis sitting in one of my work meetings, and 115 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 10: I was just thinking to myself, like what the fuck 116 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 10: am I doing? I know I could just jump on 117 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 10: a train and get the fuck out of here. 118 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 4: And for one writer, the show made him think about 119 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 4: how he could get off the rails. 120 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: Keep up the good work. It's given me some inspiration. 121 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 3: It really has props to you. It's just given me 122 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 3: an inspiration to keep moving. I would love to go 123 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 3: off the rails, but you know, a's fifty two. That's 124 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 3: not a reality. But there are other ways to go 125 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 3: about it, especially how you talked about at the end 126 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 3: of the show moving into the San Francisco apartment. Anyway, 127 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 3: I thought it would give you a glimmer of hope 128 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: that it has helped somebody. It has helped me. 129 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 4: The most moving messages for me were the ones from parents. 130 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 4: City of the Rails is a story about life on 131 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 4: the tracks, but it's clearly a mom point of view 132 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 4: on what happens at home when your child leaves for 133 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 4: many parents to show help them understand why their child 134 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 4: took this risk. 135 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 13: Hey, Danielle came across your City of the Rails and 136 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 13: just I have a kid. He's thirty eight right now, 137 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 13: and years and years on the rails. He's home right now, 138 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 13: restarting his life again. But it's just so amazing how 139 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 13: how there were so many questions I didn't even know 140 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 13: to ask that you've answered and It's really opened up 141 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 13: a dialogue between he and I. Of course a lot 142 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 13: of stuff off limits, but it really has been just 143 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 13: remarkable listening to that life. And anyway, thank you for 144 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 13: the awesome podcast. 145 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 4: Or helped a writer explain this life to his mom. 146 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 4: He just couldn't understand, well, hello there, miss Martin. 147 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 14: You know, I relate to your your daughter, and we're 148 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 14: wanting to you know, be out there and saying and 149 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 14: how like how you know my mom at first was 150 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 14: like what the fuck? But now she's like, support it, 151 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 14: And this is such a great thing to pass to 152 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,679 Speaker 14: her this podcast, because there's been a lot of things 153 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 14: that wanted to you know, express and share with her 154 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 14: that maybe she just hasn't asked me about or I 155 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 14: haven't sat down. I'm not really a big storyteller. 156 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 3: It's been really cool to share. 157 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 7: This with her. 158 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 4: For some other moms, after listening to the show, they 159 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 4: understood their teenage daughters better. 160 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 11: This podcast is one of the most beautiful podcasts I 161 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 11: have ever heard. I don't think there's been an episode 162 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 11: I've listened to so far that hasn't brought out so 163 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 11: much emotion in me as a mom and as a 164 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 11: friend to those who have spent many, many, many a 165 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 11: year's writing. There's not a moment that I don't see 166 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 11: a train somewhere and take pictures of graffiti and wonder 167 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 11: who's on that train. Your story is beautiful, and thank 168 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 11: you for sharing. And as a mom, I have a 169 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 11: fifteen year old daughter that I can so relate to 170 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 11: right now with hearing you talk about Rupy and know 171 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 11: that my daughter is bound for adventure and bound for 172 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 11: a life of her own. I don't know what else 173 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 11: to say, but thank you, Thank. 174 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 4: You so much, And I think even more important, helped 175 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 4: at least one mom be open to loving her daughter 176 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 4: for exactly who she is, not for who she wanted 177 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 4: her to be. 178 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 15: Hi, Danelle, I know that the show you've finished, all 179 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 15: the series that I just wanted you to know that 180 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 15: I've been binge listening for the last three days. I 181 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 15: am a seventy one year old mother of two beautiful 182 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 15: forty something daughters, and one daughter is just like me. 183 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 15: You do what you're told, and you do everything right 184 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 15: the way society expects. The other one not so much. 185 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 15: She has friends who are very very much like the 186 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 15: people you describe. They are honorable, they are troubled. They 187 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 15: are good friends. Your podcast has. 188 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: Really opened my eyes to who my daughter is and 189 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: helped me understand. 190 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 7: Her more and love her more. 191 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: And I want to be more patient with her and 192 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 1: not keep trying to change her. I have spent her 193 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:37,719 Speaker 1: whole life trying to. 194 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 15: Make her somebody she isn't or encourage her in directions. 195 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: That she's not interested in. She doesn't work for the man, she. 196 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 15: Does odd jobs. She just marches to a different drummer 197 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 15: than her dad and I. For whatever reason, I. 198 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: Just really really wanted to thank you so much for 199 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: writing this and I feel like so much of it 200 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: is about being a parent, and I just wanted to 201 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: thank you. Thank you so so much for this beautiful podcast. 202 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: Blessings to you and to Ruby. 203 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 4: That one really touched me. Blessings to you too, to 204 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 4: all of you. After all this thoughtful feedback and gratitude, 205 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 4: many still had one lingering question. 206 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 7: I feel like a lot of people on the rails, 207 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 7: there's somehow, there's that spiritual connection of just rejecting the 208 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 7: world but trying to make your way in it. That 209 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 7: just really appeals to me. And I don't know if 210 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 7: I'll ever get that chance, but it's just been amazing 211 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 7: to hear about that, and I just have to say 212 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 7: thank you. I'm really looking forward to the second season. 213 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 7: And well, just I guess readings from su City, Iowa. 214 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 4: So where is season two? Sorry to say, there isn't 215 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 4: going to be a second season. Our show didn't get renewed, 216 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 4: so we're without a home for the incredible story of 217 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 4: Dirty Mike that I told you about at the end 218 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 4: of the last show. There's been a lot of turmoil 219 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,199 Speaker 4: in the podcast business in City of the Rails, wrapped 220 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 4: with some great and very popular shows getting canceled. So 221 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 4: despite the one million downloads, ironically, we're a story in 222 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 4: search of a home. I don't think it'll be forever though, 223 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 4: after all, I've got more than two hundred letters from 224 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 4: Dirty Mike, a confessed serial killer who found most of 225 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 4: his victims in the train yard and is, on top 226 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 4: of that, a pretty good writer. So by for now 227 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 4: City of the Rails fans, but not forever. We're still 228 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 4: working on it. And as Profane Sass sang, so well, 229 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 4: we'll see you down the road, you wayfaring strangers.