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Writing again of The Land God Gave to Cain by Hammond Innis made me think about any other fiction I've read that features train rides fairly prominently or in an interesting way. Two mystery novels that come to mind are The Murder on the Orient Express (aka The Murder on the Calais Coach) and The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie. Then there is that Dick Francis novel about riding the Canadian train across Canada. One short story I can think of is "The Far and the Near" by Thomas Wolfe (the fellow who wrote Look Homeward, Angel, not Tom Wolfe).
Does anyone have any other suggestions? Important: The fiction has to be good reading!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Well Sojourner, these are two short stories (from the 50's/60's but from a favorite author of mine - Ray Bradbury.
One: "The Trolley", is part of his book Dandelion Wine and is a touching, bitter sweet, mysteries and wonders of life piece.
Two: The Dragon, about a modern train meeting up with the old west. Not sure what anthology that is in but I can find out if you are interested. His work new and old is widely available.
Science fiction may not be your cup of (insert favorite beverage) but the science part of his work has always been secondary to the human interest aspect. I have quite a few first editions and signed books by him. Much of his work. Part of my inspiration to write essay and poetry.
Aren't you passing through here - Denver - sometime this summer??
Ira
Posts: 300 | From: Denver, CO USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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For a mystery novel with a railway theme try one of Edward Marston's delightful Railway Detective series.
Posts: 211 | From: Norfolk England | Registered: Sep 2007
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Not too long ago, I read the Dick Francis novel Sojourner mentioned. I'm not much of a Francis fan, its always about the horses, but this one was pretty neat because of the train tie in.
The only other one that comes to mind is "The Great Train Robbery" by Michael Crichton, although because its a "caper", most of the story takes place off the train.
-------------------- Chuck
“Adventure is just bad planning.” - Roald Amundsen Posts: 80 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Feb 2007
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Sojourner, HAve you read LAST TRAIN TO TORONTO? by Terry Pindell? It is not fiction but I am reading it now and find it quite interesting
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by train lady: Sojourner, HAve you read LAST TRAIN TO TORONTO? by Terry Pindell? It is not fiction but I am reading it now and find it quite interesting
Very Enjoyable book. Pindell did a later one involving Amtrak trips in the mid-90's which is also good reading if you're looking for 'on-the-train' stories.
An author named George Hilton (I believe) did a similar Amtrak journey in the mid-1980's and produced a delightful book entitled 'Booked on the Morning Train'.
Henry Kisor's (a TrainWeb regular these days) book about the California Zephyr ('Chasing the American Dream') is good travel reading also.
For fiction I prefer something lighter in case I'm interrupted by great scenery or interesting conversation. Garrison Keillor's work (Lake Wobegon Days et al) is good to get me in a Minnesota mood for any Empire Builder trip. Anything southeast calls for Pat Conroy. ('The Lords of Discipline', 'Prince of Tides', 'Great Santini' et al)
On my last trip I took two books. One was titled 'Loose Balls' by Terry Pluto. It was a history of the short-lived American Basketball Association and a book which I, a basketball fan, found to be a page-turner. The other was a generic pictoral history of the Illinois Central Railroad. I polished it off while waiting six hours for a flight in the Memphis airport after getting off the City of New Orleans. I had planned a morning of sight-seeing but the weather was too rainy to traipse around outside.
By 'pictoral' I mean there was some text but also many pictures, maps, and vintage train timetables as well.
SOJOURNER - If the NCDOT ever finds a way to convince Norfolk Southern to allown an Amtrak train back to Asheville, you'll need to include a visit to Thomas Wolfe's boyhood home on a future itinerary.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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An interesting example of railroad fiction from the heyday of the passenger train is Frank L. Packard's "The Night Operator," a collection of pulp short stories about railroading published in 1919. The prose is boy's-adventure-book overwrought, but it's fun anyway. It is available as a free .pdf download from the Central Pacific Railway Museum:
I recent read a short novel, by the writer Matt Braun, called "Indian Territory". It was an interesting read about a railroad security man and the building on a RR through Cherokee cournty, in the Oaklahoma territory:
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For non-fiction you would be hard to beat Paul Theroux's books "The Great Railway Bazaar" and "The Old Patagonian Express". Both are well thumbed copies in this household as are the two terrific books by Terry Pindell - had to import them from a US bookseller. I couldn't put either down.
Posts: 211 | From: Norfolk England | Registered: Sep 2007
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(and a Business Center screen so small it is all I can do to read it)
I,m surprised no mention so far of EM Frimbo. This gentleman reportedly traveled some 2M miles by rail during his lifetime. This was a pen-name for Rogers Whittaker, a performing arts critic for the New Yorker magazine.
I had the pleasure to meet the gentleman on various occasions such as riding The Broadway, buth PRR and Amtrak, during the '60's and'70's.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Thanks, all. I have read much of the NF (inc Mr Kisor's great book) but was looking for fiction, esp well written mysteries or thrillers.
I will check some of these recs out, esp if available in paperback.
And, oh, Mr Pullman, I do seem to remember reading The Phantom Brakeman as a kid. I'm sure I got it from Scholastic!!!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I enjoyed "The Christmas Train" by David Baldacci, Warner Books, 2002. He clearly did research with Amtrak in writing the book. There are several rail travel stories ongoing within the book.
The current Library of Congress subject heading is "Railroad travel - Fiction" if you want to check your local library catalog for available titles. There are also books listed under "Trains - Fiction" and "Railroads - Fiction" with some subdivided by "Juvenile Fiction" for children's books.
You can probably check your library catalog online at their website. My library "typed" its last 3 x 5 catalog card in 1993. (Did I give away my occupation?)
Posts: 76 | From: Steubenville, OH | Registered: Oct 2004
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I just remembered one that I haven't read in a number of years, Ian Flemming's "From Russia with Love". It has a fairly long sequence set on the Orient Express.
007 novels and short stories are always good for travel, since Bond is always having to travel somewhere.
Posts: 80 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Feb 2007
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In "The Cat Who..." mystery series by Lillian Jackson Browne, is The Cat Who Blew the Whistle.This story is about the wreck of a steam special.Reading it may get you hooksd on the entire series.
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The Cat Who... are great. the character are so real. But a slight correction as to author. It is Lilian Jackson Braun
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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