City of the Rails is a deeply personal, investigative narrative podcast that blends true crime elements with a poignant mother-daughter memoir. Journalist Danelle Morton embarks on a cross-country journey to track her daughter, who has joined the transient subculture of modern-day train hoppers. The show serves as both a high-stakes search for family reconciliation and a sociological exploration of the American railroad system. Through immersive storytelling, Morton weaves together historical context, interviews with rail workers and hobos, and raw emotional reflection. It is a distinctive, atmospheric series that appeals to listeners interested in investigative journalism, American history, and complex human stories about the fringes of society.