Brownie the Boomer: The Life of Charles P. Brown, an American Railroader (Railroads in America)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.23 (988 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0875801463 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 279 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 0000-00-00 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
"if you love railroads and history like I do" according to charlie bogle. if you love railroads and history like I do,,,this is the book to buy,,, it takes you back to the early part of 1900's and you will read and reread this book, It is a gem! I feel like I know Brownie,,,,I worked for serveral years for a railroad and feel a connection to this story. By far my favorite railroad book.
Brown—"a boomer railroad man"—offers in this exceptional autobiography an unusually vivid portrayal of everyday life as a trainman for some of the country's greatest rail lines.An itinerant railroad worker, or "boomer," Brown hopscotched across America between 1900 and 1913 seeking employment wherever opportunities arose. Charles P. His wanderlust led him into a variety of jobs—including fireman, brakeman, switchman—for such railroads as the Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Wabash, and New York Central until he was disabled at age thirty-four in a railroad accident. In this sometimes tragic, frequently funny, behind-the-scenes account of railroading, Brownie reveals the reality of working conditions for the railroad laborer at the turn of the century as he relates his many adventures and misadventures.
From Publishers Weekly Farm work in Indiana not to his liking, 19-year-old Charlie Brown and a friend hopped a freight train for Chicago in 1898. He lived in boardinghouses and the YMCA; he recalls events that involve runaway cars, a train robbery, drunken brawls, a collision, chance meetings with other "boomers." Rail buffs and social historians will welcome this colorful bit of Americana. Photos. Brown's unpretentious and matter-of-fact story offers a fine portrait of working conditions in the early years of the century. . Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. After a near-fatal accident in 1913, Brown wrote this autobiography , which was published in the 1920s; Grant, editor of Railway History , here provides background and explanatory notes. So began Brown's c