Hobo culture flourished with the growth of railroads and economic instability. During the Gilded Age and the Great Depression, millions of unemployed workers rode the rails. Hobos developed a distinct subculture with their own slang, signs (symbols chalked on buildings to guide others), and ethics, emphasizing mutual aid and freedom. They faced dangers like train accidents, railroad police ("bulls"), and hostile communities. "Hobo jungles," makeshift camps near rail yards, became hubs for rest a