Brownie The Boomer: The Life Of Charles P Brown, An American Railroader

Charles P. 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. 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 Yor…