Railroad Trains

Michael Gillespie applies his generous wit, dry humor, and historical insights to the school of railroading literature at the height of the steam era. Personal journals, press reports, and trade magazines all produced stories meant at the time to entertain readers… but which today offer a compelling folk history from the early days of railroads. 350 pages of railroad stories... with editorial introductions and commentary, dozens of historic photos, and a complete railroad glossary... make "OLD TIME RAILROAD STORIES" a true collector’s edition! Michael is also the author of two of the ...

America was made by the railroads. The opening of the Baltimore & Ohio line—the first American railroad—in the 1830s sparked a national revolution in the way that people lived thanks to the speed and convenience of train travel. Built through heroic effort, the American railroad network was bigger in every sense than Europe's, and facilitated everything from long-distance travel to commuting and transporting goods to waging war. It united far-flung parts of the country, boosted economic development, and was the catalyst for America's rise to world-power status.

The fast-paced and gripping true account of the extraordinary construction and spectacular demise of the Key West Railroad—one of the greatest engineering feats ever undertaken, destroyed in one fell swoop by the strongest storm ever to hit U.S. shores. In 1904, the brilliant and driven...

Many have often thought that they would have liked to work for a railroad. This volume (the third in a series) will take a prospective employee through the transition era (from steam locomotives to diesel) and right up through our modern era. The pros and cons of a job in the railroad industry are discussed and documented through the true accounts of former and current railroad employees in the format of over 80 short stories. This book, written in the style of O. Henry, is particularly relevant to historians, railfans, and anyone else considering making the railroad or transportation ...

On December 18, 1867, the Buffalo and Erie Railroad's eastbound New York Express derailed as it approached the high truss bridge over Big Sister Creek, just east of the small settlement of Angola, New York, on the shores of Lake Erie. The last two cars of the express train were pitched completely off the tracks and plummeted into the creek bed below. When they struck bottom, one of the wrecked cars was immediately engulfed in flames as the heating stoves in the coach spilled out coals and ignited its wooden timbers

When Monisha Rajesh announced plans to circumnavigate the globe in 80 train journeys, she was met with wide-eyed disbelief. But it wasn’t long before she was carefully plotting a route that would cover 45,000 miles - almost twice the circumference of the earth - coasting along the world’s most remarkable railways; from the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet’s Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Packing up her rucksack - and her fiancé, Jem, Monisha embarks on an unforgettable adventure.

Eric Stathers knew the Pacific Great Eastern Railway all too well. In the 1920s and 30s, the PGE was a struggling, backwoods railway if ever there was one, and it presented endless challenges to those whose job it was to keep it running. Eric was Car Foreman at the railway's Squamish shops and he was often called out with his crew to recover wrecked locomotives, cars and equipment all along the tough and mountainous line between Squamish and Lillooet, British Columbia. Heavy rain, snow, rock slides, collapsed bridges, washouts and floods were all too frequent occurrences. Not only that, but...

John Brown and the Last Train is the story of John Brown and his last raid on Missouri slave farms and the subsequent trip north to Canada. Along the way, a baby was born to a Freedom Seeker and they fought in the Battle of the Spurs. They received help from the major UGR Stations in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. Famous detective, Allan Pinkerton helped them get across to Canada. This is historical fiction based on factual events and told through the voices of the Freedom Seekers.

Tom Zoellner loves trains with a ferocious passion. In his new audiobook he chronicles the innovation and sociological impact of the railway technology that changed the world, and could very well change it again. From the frigid Trans-Siberian Railroad to the antiquated Indian Railways to the futuristic maglev trains, Zoellner offers a stirring story of man's relationship with trains. Zoellner examines both the mechanics of the rails and their engines and how they helped societies evolve. Not only do trains transport people and goods in an efficient manner, but they also reduce pollution and dependency upon oil.

A journalist for nearly 60 years years and Daily Mirror columnist for 27 of those, Paul has written regularly about the joys of train travel. Now the country is set to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway–The Stockton & Darlington Railway opened on September 27, 1825–when better to pen a love letter to trains?

“I can't die but once!” This was the rallying cry of Harriet Tubman, the most famous conductor in the history of the Underground Railroad. Her name is legendary, but many don’t know Harriet’s full story. The Tubman Train starts with her dramatic early years, including the pivotal day when she began having visions from God—visions of flying North. The story follows Harriet through her own escape in 1849 and the beginning of her work as the “She-Moses,” culminating in the dramatic attempt to rescue her brothers. The Tubman Train is the first novel to explore the complicated ...

Watch the landscapes shift as travelers board and disembark a train in this Audible Sleep story told by John Stamos. Travel through cities and over shimmering waters reflecting the moon, enjoying the steady chug of the train’s engine as you drift off to sleep.

Underground Railroad Poems: There’s a Train a ‘Comin, by author Reneé Drummond-Brown, is a historic ride from the West Congo’s, to down South and onto the Uppity North, on the eastside of town. This melancholy poetic account carries loads of heavy freight and provides easy access to major attractions such as: Africa, slavery, “The Civil Rights Movement” and this so-called thing some call “freedom.” While Moses had the vision to make it plain, Harriet Tubman laid the groundwork for author Drummond-Brown’s mission, to network literature that needs to extend globally ...

Named one of the "75 People You Should Know" by Trains Magazine, Jim McClellan was a railroading legend and one of the railroad industry’s titans. An iconic and innovative executive, McClellan participated in the creation of both Amtrak and Conrail and worked for the Norfolk Southern, the New York Central, US Railway Association, and the Federal Railroad Administration. My Life with Trains combines a world-class photographer’s love of railroading with the insights of a government and railroad official.

A fascinating journey through the history of railways, packed with first-hand accounts of innovation, triumph, and tragedy. From the earliest steam engine to the high-speed bullet trains of today, A Short History of the Railway reveals the hidden stories of railway history across the world - the...

Conducting Chaos: A Hilarious Commuter Railroad Experience Get ready to laugh and be entertained with "Conducting Chaos: A Hilarious Commuter Railroad Experience". Written from the perspective of a train conductor, this book takes you on a journey through the chaotic and often absurd world of commuter rail life. Filled with humorous anecdotes and real-life experiences, this book delves into the behind-the-scenes antics of daily rail operations, from the mischief and sensuality to the unexpected events and crisis management. From the interactions with coworkers, management, and passengers, ...

The fast-paced and gripping true account of the extraordinary construction and spectacular demise of the Key West Railroad—one of the greatest engineering feats ever undertaken, destroyed in one fell swoop by the strongest storm ever to hit U.S. shores. In 1904, the brilliant and driven...

The transcontinental railroads of the late 19th century were the first corporate behemoths. Their attempts to generate profits from proliferating debt sparked devastating panics in the US economy. Their dependence on public largess drew them into the corridors of power, initiating new forms of corruption. Their operations rearranged space and time, and remade the landscape of the West. As wheel and rail, car and coal, they opened new worlds of work and ways of life.

This book covers thirty-eight years working on the railroad. The first twenty-five were with AT&SF Santa Fe. The last were with the BN&SF after the two railroads merged. There are thirteen years worth of thoughts and wisdow after leaving the work force. This will cover my thoughts and feelings along this journey from the day I hired on to the day I retired, and then how life changed after leaving the railroad.

In one of the most inventive travel books in years, Ina Caro invites listeners on 25 one-day train trips that depart from Paris and transport us back through 700 years of French history. Whether taking us to Orléans to evoke the visions of Joan of Arc or to the Place de la Concorde to witness the beheading of Marie Antoinette, Caro animates history with her lush descriptions of architectural splendors and tales of court intrigue. "[An] enchanting travelogue" (Publishers Weekly), Paris to the Past has become one of the classic guidebooks of our time.