Who was J.B. King?

Question

I was reading an old rail road book. It said in the 30's that the name J B King was written on alot of cars across the country.
I'm guessing he was a hobo or perhaps a railway labourer.
does anyone know?

Answer 1

I am not familiar with this particular moniker, but then again I wasn't pounding up and down the rails in the 30s. I think it can be assumed that this guy was a hobo, but they tended to leave their marks on fixtures, like water tanks, shanty's and other buildings around a yard.

Since it seems that the information suggests that this was wide spread, I would think it more likely that this guy was a car knocker who left his mark on a great number of cars, something that the hobo couldn't nor wouldn't do.

I recently posted a RailTail on my 360 blog dealing with this very subject, with a spotlight on "Tarzan." Check it out..............

Answer 2

Sometime ago I heard of someone that went by the name of, B.J. King.. well known for riding the box cars in the Midwestern
states back & forth from Arizona to Nebraska..