Overview

"Midnight train rides, head-on freight collisions-there is never a dull moment when it comes to trains. Take a look at America's biggest railroads and meet the thunderous personalities who operate them. In Last Train to Texas, author Fred W. Frailey examines the workings behind the railroad industry and captures incredible true stories along the way. Discover how men like William ""Pisser Bill"" F. Thompson swerve from financial ruin, bad merger deals, and cutthroat competition, all while racking up enough notoriety to inspire a poem titled ""Ode to a Jerk."" Bold, savvy, and ready for a friendly brawl, the only thing louder and more thrilling than these men are the trains that they handle. Come along with Frailey as he travels the world, one railroad at a time. Whether it'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, Ireland, Frailey's journeys are rife with excitement and the occasional mishap. Filled with humorous anecdotes and thoughtful insights into the railroading industry, Last Train to Texas is an adventure in every sense of the word."

Full Product Details

Author:   Fred W. Frailey ,  Thomas Hoback
Publisher:   Indiana University Press
Imprint:   Indiana University Press
Weight:   0.476kg
ISBN:  

9780253045249

ISBN 10:   025304524
Pages:   232
Publication Date:   04 February 2020
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Foreword by Thomas G. Hoback Part I: Running the Railroads 1. President Carter to the Rescue 2. The Man You Never Wanted to Cross 3. Watch Rob Run 4. Thinking Outside the Container 5. The World According to Mcclellan 6. The Saga of 'Pisser Bill' 7. A Man in Full 8. Mike Haverty's Long Shadow 9. How to Go Boots Up in Railroading 10. The Battles of Powder River 11. When Lou Menk Saved a Zephyr 12. Inside the Mind of Michael Ward 13. The Legacy of Hunter Harrison 14. A Battle for Supremacy in the West Part II: Travels around Trains 15. The Cocoon of a Long-Distance Train 16. No Place for Man or Beast . . . or Train 17. The Ladies from Cork Are Aghast 18. Crossing the Country in a Blur 19. Ode to a Coach Yard 20. By Train to the End of the Earth 21. Pencil-Whipping Train 101 22. I Plead the Fifth 23. My Prestigious Experience 24. The Late, Late Train 25. The Train to Cordoba 26. You Gotta Love the Soo Line 27. New York City, Then 28. New York City, Now 29. Best Little Railroad in Effingham 30. Last Train to Texas 31. Railroading in a Fiery Furnace 32. Night Train to Nowhere Part III: Kicking the Train Down the Tracks 33. Miss Katy's Funny Pieces of Paper 34. Moments I'd Rather Forget 35. The Timeless Clovis Sub 36. What's the Matter with Florida? 37. The Brain Drain 38. A Little Drawbridge that Couldn't 39. That Commodore Vanderbilt Feeling 40. The Ageless World of Stan Kistler 41. Saturday Night Fever 42. Who Really Saved Illinois Central 43. Why You May Yet Read by Candlelight 44. 14th Street at Night 45. The Wreck of Old 54 46. The Mother of All Traffic Jams

Reviews

...a terrific read, a collection of short, snappy essays that mirror Fred's ceaseless curiosity about not only the business of railroading, but more importantly its people. -- Kevin Keefe * Trains Magazine * Last Train to Texas depicts modern railroading, warts and all, though a fascinating amalgam of stories. Readers finish understanding Frailey's love of railroading because of the breadth of his narratives. -- Mark Lardas * The Daily News Galveston *

Last Train to Texas depicts modern railroading, warts and all, though a fascinating amalgam of stories. Readers finish understanding Frailey's love of railroading because of the breadth of his narratives. -- Mark Lardas * The Daily News Galveston *

Last Train to Texas depicts modern railroading, warts and all, though a fascinating amalgam of stories. Readers finish understanding Frailey's love of railroading because of the breadth of his narratives. -- Mark Lardas * The Daily News Galveston * ...this book is a pleasent diversion, perfect for pool-side reading. Longtime followers of Fred W. Frailey will want to read this book. -- Bill Hough * The NRHS Bulletin * ...a terrific read, a collection of short, snappy essays that mirror Fred's ceaseless curiosity about not only the business of railroading, but more importantly its people. -- Kevin Keefe * Trains Magazine * This book is more than just about a rail line re-birth in Nowheresville, Texas. Rather, it is an outstanding anthology of 46 short stores compiled by Fred Frailey recounting his rail adventures over the past four decades. The author's writing style is contemporary, straightforward, and entertaining with its clever wit. -- David J Mrozek * The Michigan Railfan *

Author Information

Journalist Fred Frailey has written for Trains magazine for more than 40 years. He has authored five other railroad books, including Twilight of the Great Trains, Southern Pacific's Blue Streak Merchandise, and Rolling Thunder (with Gary Benson).

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