Rocky Mountain Railroad Odyssey


Book Description

Embark on an unforgettable adventure across the heartland of America and the breathtaking landscapes of the Canadian wilderness with Erik, a wanderer whose soul finds solace in the rhythmic cadence of train wheels. "Rocky Mountain Railroad Odyssey" weaves a tale of more than just tracks and stations-it's a story of human connection, love, and the unbreakable bond forged on the rails. Erik's passion for train travel takes him through the Midwest, the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains, and along the picturesque West Coast. Yet, amidst the stunning vistas, he grapples with a persistent loneliness that shadows his every mile. It isn't until a chance encounter with the vivacious Candice in Reno, Nevada, that his journey takes a dramatic turn. Together, Erik and Candice embark on thrilling escapades, tracing the historic route of the legendary "Olympian Hiawatha" through the rugged mountains, and find themselves ensnared in the perilous world of the casino mafia. As Erik navigates treacherous terrain, the promise of true love seems distant, leaving him to traverse the solitary roads of his heart. However, fate has other plans. In the town of Jasper, Erik's path intersects with Amelia, a radiant spirit from Edmonton. With her, the sun rises anew in his life, illuminating a path that winds along the Pacific, from the vibrant streets of Vancouver to the sun-kissed shores of San Diego. Their love story blossoms amidst the rhythmic symphony of wheels against tracks. Little do they know, a shadow looms over their idyllic world-a shadow that threatens to eclipse their newfound happiness. "Rocky Mountain Railroad Odyssey" is a captivating blend of travelogue and romance, where the grandeur of legendary trains like the California Zephyr, The Empire Builder, The Canadian, and even the Milwaukee Road become the backdrop for a love story that defies all odds. "Step aboard, and let the journey of a lifetime begin."




Rocky Mountain Train Robberies


Book Description

One of the most colorful parts of American History is the time of train robberies and the daring outlaws who undertook them in the period covering from just after the Civil War to 1924. For decades, the railroads were the principal transporters of payrolls, gold and silver, bonds, and passengers who often carried large sums of money as well as valuable jewelry. For the creative outlaw, trains became an obvious target for robbery. The list of America’s train robbers is a veritable Who’s Who of American outlawry and includes: Frank and Jesse James, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, Charles Searcy, Charles Morganfield, Sam Bass, Black Jack Ketchum, Seaborn Barnes, and others. To this cast of train robbery-related characters can be added the relentless investigations and pursuit by individuals associated with the Pinkerton Detectives, Texas Rangers, Wells Fargo detectives, railroad company detectives, as well as local and area law enforcement authorities. In addition, there are numerous tales of bravery that took place during train robberies involving heroic express car messengers, conductors, engineers, brakemen, and even passengers.




Last Train to Texas


Book Description

A veteran railroad columnist takes readers on a wild ride through the American train industry with remembrances that crisscross the country and the world. In Last Train to Texas, author Fred W. Frailey examines the workings behind the railroad industry and captures incredible true stories along the way. He vividly portrays the industries larger-than-life characters, such as William “Pisser Bill” F. Thompson, who weathered financial ruin, bad merger deals, and cutthroat competition, all while racking up enough notoriety to inspire a poem titled “Ode to a Jerk.” Whether he’s riding the Canadian Pacific Railway through a blizzard, witnessing a container train burglary in the Abo Canyon, or commemorating a poem to Limerick Junction in Dublin, Frailey’s journeys are rife with excitement, incident, and the spirit of the rails. Filled with humorous anecdotes and thoughtful insights into the railroading industry, Last Train to Texas is a grand adventure for the railroad connoisseur.




The Complete Travel Detective Bible


Book Description

This ultimate "physician's desk reference" for travelers addresses the questions, anxieties, concerns, and desire for essential information that are common to seasoned and novice travelers alike. Peter Greenberg, best-selling author, trusted Today show travel editor, and the man that writer Paul Theroux calls "the liberator and defender of the traveling public," offers an encyclopedic look at every aspect of the travel process, both domestically and internationally, from the true definition of travel terms to in-depth explanations of how things really work. Do you want to know which airline seats are the best and worst? How you can vacation in a lighthouse, a monastery, or even a converted prison? Which countries require you to get visas before you visit? Or won't let you in even if you have a passport? Which airlines are the worst "bumping" offenders? How you can avoid hidden fees? The Complete Travel Detective Bible offers up answers to these questions and much more. Everything is cross-referenced and each chapter is filled with useful charts, lists, and diagrams, making for an easily accessible format. Greenberg, who has been to more than 146 countries, is an expert without equal at outplaying the travel industry at its own games, securing the best fares, accommodations, and service at the lowest possible prices. He shares every one of these hard-won, ingenious insider secrets in this book, making The Complete Travel Detective Bible the ultimate word on travel today.




The Lewis and Clark Expedition Crossing the Rocky Mountains, Building the Transcontinental Railroad Blasting Through the Sierra Nevadas


Book Description

The Lewis and Clark expedition is trapped in the Rocky Mountains. The explorers are starving. What will the men do to survive? Chang Han and Wen Lin are Chinese laborers building the Transcontinental Railroad. Blasting the rock would be easier and faster than digging. Who will take the new explosive into the tunnel? Read these stories to find out.




Railfan & Railroad


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RailNews


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Pacific Rail News


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Going Places


Book Description

Successfully navigate the rich world of travel narratives and identify fiction and nonfiction read-alikes with this detailed and expertly constructed guide. Just as savvy travelers make use of guidebooks to help navigate the hundreds of countries around the globe, smart librarians need a guidebook that makes sense of the world of travel narratives. Going Places: A Reader's Guide to Travel Narratives meets that demand, helping librarians assist patrons in finding the nonfiction books that most interest them. It will also serve to help users better understand the genre and their own reading interests. The book examines the subgenres of the travel narrative genre in its seven chapters, categorizing and describing approximately 600 titles according to genres and broad reading interests, and identifying hundreds of other fiction and nonfiction titles as read-alikes and related reads by shared key topics. The author has also identified award-winning titles and spotlighted further resources on travel lit, making this work an ideal guide for readers' advisors as well a book general readers will enjoy browsing.




Off the Main Lines


Book Description

A railway history expert “vividly portrays a way of life no longer seen. A fascinating insight into historical American railroading” (Railways Illustrated). In this visually stunning and comprehensive photographic essay, railroad historian and photographer Donovan L. Hofsommer records the end of branchline passenger service, the demise of electric railroads, the transition from steam to diesel power, as well as the end of common carrier freight service on the Colorado narrow gauge. Off the MainLines carries readers along out-of-the-way railways in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, and South Dakota to see the changes that occurred on these lines from the 1940s to the 1990s. “If you miss the Milwaukee, recall the Rock Island, suffer from the loss of the Soo Line, maintain sadness for the Santa Fe, can’t forget the Frisco, absent-mindedly buried the Burlington Route in oblivion or still maintain romantic recollections of the Katy, you’ll find Dr. Hofsommer’s Off the Main Lines exactly where you need to be!”—Lexington Quarterly “A fitting tribute to its subject; railroad enthusiasts across the upper Midwest and beyond will find Hofsommer’s personalized history to be both edifying and immensely rewarding.”—The Annals of Iowa “An interesting blend of historical fact and personal reminiscence, and traces the author’s own personal 60-year rail odyssey to a variety of ‘off the beaten path’ locations.”—Michigan Railfan “All in all this is a good photographic essay of some lesser known routes and, as usual, I picked up a few more pieces of information to use at a railroad trivia night.”—The Villager