Meaning of ride the rods | Babel Free

Definitions

To travel illicitly by clinging to the supporting rods under a freight train.

US, slang

Examples

“And a dangerous extracurricular activity had helped turn his muscles to iron: he “rode the rods” with other boys, clinging to the underframework of Union Pacific freight cars rumbling through Abilene.”

“I nearly ran right into one jabbing his shotgun underneath the car, checking to see if somebody was under there riding the rods.”

CEFR level