Railroad hand car

My mother has a toe sack full of old sayings that young people wouldn't understand. For example, a Hand Car is a rolling platform used on the railroad. A man stands on the platform and pumps the handle to move himself down the rails checking for washouts etc.

Now Shift:

Years ago country folks were able to take their jacket, bandanna, etc and wave down a passenger train, pay their fare and ride.

My mother used to talk about how few clothes she had to wear. She would say " I ain't got enough clothes to flag a hand car"