Review: A Train of Thought

I have this fascination with trains, not real running on the rails trains...but the trains of old, the ones I can do in replica on an HO scale rail.   So imagine my delight when I was contacted about reviewing a book about trains, told from the perspective of a fella who worked the lines for 40 years.

Reading the short chapters lining the pages was like sitting on the porch with one's grandpa, listening to his tales of days gone back.  Reminiscing together over the ole' glory days, hearing the rattle of trains delivering goods hither and yon, seeing the men who make it all happen.


What you get is 40 chapters divided into six sections.  These chapters have interesting names like Pack a Bag, Old John, Dog Day, Oklahoma 3.2 and me, and Hackshaw.  Terry Beck divides his life into four parts, from beginning to end through the stages of his work life, learning, challenging, growing.  It's a good story of a man's life.

Generous doses of humour and real life lessons fill the pages, like the fellow found talking about an easy way to make money off the job and finding himself looking for new work.  To learning things the hard way about keeping a railroaders bag packed.   Shyness in the bathroom and learning the tricks of leading men. I thoroughly enjoy the real life situations presented in the book.. even the hard ones with train crashes.

I learned so much about what the dangers are in railroading.. from track failure to working with men of all different skill sets. The dangers certain position entailed, the sheer hard work involved and the odd things they would find on the track.   

Book: A Gathering Of Words — A Train Of Thought: Forty Years Workin' on the Railroad
Author: Terry Beck
Pages: 150
Publisher: Park Cities Publishing
Type: Autobiography
Genre: Trains

Reviewed for:  Park Cities Publishing

Where can you find it?
 Amazon.ca: A Gathering Of Words — A Train Of Thought: Forty Years Workin' on the Railroad
Amazon.com:
A Gathering Of Words — A Train Of Thought: Forty Years Workin' on the Railroad

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