Burlington Northern Adventures: Railroading in the Days of the Caboose

by William J. Brotherton

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0942035682
• ISBN13: 9780942035681
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: South Platte Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Essential Training

There's something about trains. Like rivers they embody past, present, future. If you're outside, they go by. If you're inside, the world goes by. William Brotherton does a masterful job of bringing the reader inside the massive probe into the hinterlands of the Dakotas through to Montana; stories of places and characters that relatively few humans have experienced or even thought about. Well-written and with a child's eye for adventure, Brotherton's somewhat picaresque novel deserves acclaim as a study of the strenghts that make up our railroad men. To the reviewers who complain about the salty language......I guess you weren't there.

A must read for all train enthusiasts

I received this book from my Parents at christmas and thought that my Parents had lost it. I called to remind them that I wasn't 10 anymore. However, I took the book with me on one of those boring flights to no where. Much to my surprise this book was an incredibly funny set of stories about growing up around the railroad as a child and subsequent stories about working late nights on the railroad in the frozen Northern reaches of the midwest. The stories had me laughing out loud. I truly felt bad for Brotherton as he was convinced to sleep in a camper in -40F weather. No matter how bad I thought some jobs I have had were, they don't compare to having to switch out rail cars in sub-zero weather in the middle of the night. In fact this should be mandatory reading for whiney teen-agers who complain about their jobs. I finished reading the book before my 3 hour flight was over and I wished I there was more. I can also see why the railroad would be upset by this book. I can imagine that they wouldn't want anyone to know how they run their business as no one would work for them. For me, I bought several more copies for my staff as this is much better than "Who Moved My Cheese" and if any of them think they have it bad, it could be worse, much worse. Great Book!!!!!

Excellent book, about working on the railroad

This is a book you must have for your library. Brotherton's unique Southern sense of humor compliments the stories he tells. From the crazy ideas of a child while growing up, to the adventures of an adult working the rails, Brotherton captures your attention from cover to cover. Excellent read. Ken Lothridge: Author of, "A Conductor Tells Unauthorized Train Stories