The words “Groping America,” “Train Gang,” and “Riding With” imply a narrative about mass transit sexual assault (often called “groping” in legal contexts) occurring on trains (Amtrak, subways, commuter rails).
By: J. H. Darkside, Contributing Editor to Underground Lit Quarterly
In the shadowy world of transgressive fiction—where boundaries are not just pushed but incinerated—certain titles circulate only in whispers. For decades, collectors of outlaw literature have traded rumors of a manuscript that allegedly captures the raw, unfiltered id of America’s freight-hopping underworld. That manuscript is Groping America V. 1: Riding With The Train Gang by the enigmatic Ra Locke. Groping America V. 1 Riding With The Train Gang Ra Locke
To date, no physical copy has been confirmed. No ISBN exists. No Library of Congress listing. And yet, the title alone has achieved a kind of mythic notoriety on obscure Reddit threads and defunct LiveJournal communities dedicated to “hobo noir” and “railpunk grit.”
This article attempts the first serious literary exegesis of a work that may or may not exist—and in doing so, examines why the very idea of Groping America forces us to confront the ugliest and most compelling impulses of American street literature. 1: Riding With The Train Gang by the enigmatic Ra Locke
We cannot ignore the elephant in the boxcar. The word “groping” in the 21st century has an inescapable sexual assault connotation, especially post-#MeToo. If Groping America were published today, would it be banned? Should it be?
The answer depends on Ra Locke’s intent. If the “groping” is purely metaphorical—a groping for truth, for contact, for the ragged edges of the American dream—then the book belongs alongside William S. Burroughs (Naked Lunch) and Hubert Selby Jr. (Last Exit to Brooklyn). If, however, the text explicitly depicts non-consensual sexual acts on trains, then it crosses a line from transgressive art into the territory of criminal glorification. we cannot judge.
Given that no verified text exists, we cannot judge. But the very ambiguity has allowed Groping America to function as a Rorschach test for readers: do you see a masterpiece of hobo realism or a piece of degenerate shock-schlock?