Category Archives: Transcontinental Railroad
Upper California Crossing, Julesburg, Colorado
[media-credit name=”William H. Jackson” align=”aligncenter” width=”900″][/media-credit] The Upper California Crossing, where Lodgepole Creek joins the South Platte River near Julesburg, Colorado, served wagon train travelers as the principal place to cross from the south to the north side of the wide … Continue reading
A Writer’s Nook
Welcome to the nook where I as a writer struggle to become an author. The Iron Horse Chronicles is being created here. I wrote the first outline and began assembling research notes for my trilogy at this desk nine years … Continue reading
Bear Claws at Western Fiction Review
Western Fiction Review posted a review of Bear Claws, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Two, on September 3, 2015. Steve M. (that’s all the name he goes by) regularly reviews new western novels for his blog, which originates in the UK. … Continue reading
Bear Claws Reviewed by Readers’ Favorite
Readers’ Favorite has awarded its Five Star seal to Bear Claws, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Two, and has provided the following review by Jack Magnus: “Bear Claws: The Iron Horse Chronicles, Book Two is a historical coming of age novel … Continue reading
Sod Houses
Will Braddock, in Eagle Talons, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book One, encountered sod houses on the Nebraska prairie during his first train ride on the Union Pacific. I described what Will saw from the open doorway of the boxcar in which … Continue reading
Ian’s Outstanding Book Report
Ian is eleven years old, and this spring he completed the fifth grade at Running Springs Elementary School in Anaheim, California. Ian’s teacher gave his class an assignment to prepare a book report on a historical novel. Ian chose Eagle Talons, The … Continue reading
A Steam Locomotive’s Tender
A steam locomotive could not operate without its tender. In recent posts I have written about how the locomotive works, but the engine must have fuel and water to produce the steam. The tender is the car that is hooked immediately behind … Continue reading
Golden Spike Anniversary
May 10, 2015, is the one hundred forty-sixth anniversary of the driving of the golden spike at Promontory Summit, Utah, commemorating the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. This event signified the joining of the west coast to the east coast of the United … Continue reading
The Beauty of 4-4-0 Locomotives
The 4-4-0 locomotive was a thing of beauty that is hard to appreciate from photography of the mid-nineteenth century. Color photography did not exist during the heyday of the locomotive that “built” the first transcontinental railroad. One of the most famous … Continue reading
Bullhead City Book Signing Successful
On Tuesday, April 7, 2015, I held a successful book signing for Eagle Talons, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book One, at the Hastings book store in Bullhead City, Arizona. My wife, Barbara, and I had gone to Laughlin, Nevada, for a short vacation, and … Continue reading
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