Burlington Northern Adventures: Railroading in the Days of the Caboose

by William J. Brotherton

Burlington Northern Adventures relate the personal experiences of the author,William J. Brotherton, who went "railroading" as a brakeman, conductor and trainmaster for the Burlington Northern Railroad system, starting in 1979 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Through his many interesting short stories, Brotherton illustrates what it was like to work for a major railroad company before branch lines, vintage diesel locomotives and cabooses were phased out. Brotherton, who hopped freights as a youth growing up in Atlanta, takes the reader along on his personal encounter with a railroaders' life in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Colorado. He ended his railroad career as a trainmaster with the Colorado & Southern Railway in Denver.

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[R.]

William Brotherton's debut book is an under-appreciated work providing the reader a glimpse into a disappearing way of life on the railroad. Brotherton gives an honest, concise peek behind the curtains of the life of a railroader before automation and technology forever changed the face of American rail traffic. Hidden within the cover of this deceptively small book are the larger than life stories of the men, machines and country side that shaped the final days of the Industrial Era. In these stories we glimpse the enduring spirit of the railroader, both on and off the road.

Brotherton, who prides himself on once being accused of being a carnival barker, has given readers a phenomenal gift in this book. Through his own eyes, Brotherton shares with the reader a unique experience of his life on the rails. This rich and personal history of an otherwise ignored period of the rail industry, as viewed through the filter of Brotherton's own larger than life personality, is a hidden treasure. Even in its 10th year of publication, this book is still as fresh and as relevant as the day it first rolled off the press. A true treat for the mature fan of the railroad!

[M.J. Rodriguez]

This book was an interesting collection of short stories and easy to read! Bill Brotherton tells about his childhood playing a hobo on a Seaboard Air Line freight east from Atlanta, his different positions during his employment with BN and his experiences eating venison and watching a demolition derby. Anyone who is a railfan or who is interested in railroad literature will appreciate this book.

[Kurt Weber]

Old Brotherton seems like kind of a stick in the mud. This was, however, a good read.