It is during the great depression in the US and the land is full of people who are now homeless. Those people commonly called ""hobos"" are truly hated by Shack (Borgnine) a sadistical railway conductor who swore that no hobo will ride his train for free. Well no-one but ""A"" Number One (Lee Marvin) who is ready to put his life at stake to become a local legend - as the first person who survived the trip on Shack's notorious train.....