All Aboard! Riding the Rails with Your Library Card

Published on May 20, 2025

By Carrie S.

May 10 is a noteworthy historical anniversary, for it marks the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869. Trains can be terribly romantic, can’t they? Opulent dining cars, farewell kisses on steam-filled platforms, giant freight trains hauling the nation’s grain. There is so much to be said for the allure of transition or the promise of a new destination.

My dad worked on the railway. Growing up we’d watch the trains and make a note of their serial numbers so we could mark them off in a little book. We’d ride the train to the seaside during the summer and take special days out on historic steam locomotives. I’d wave at train passengers from the crossing, a guilty pleasure I still indulge in when the opportunity presents itself. It was all very Railway Children.

Train Waving GIFfrom Train GIFs

As a teenager I developed a fascination with freight trains and the idea of riding the rails. In decidedly more comfort than the hobos of yore, I eventually decided to live out this fantasy by planning a trip on the historic and iconic passenger route through the Northern Plains. I was going to watch this beautiful country roll by as I read Kerouac and daydreamed about history.

Alas, nearly a decade later, my husband still hasn’t forgiven me for the events that transpired on that trip. Priority on the rails was given to freight trains, which meant long delays, missed stops, and the cafe car running out of food. The crown jewel of the trip was going to be Glacier National Park, but I couldn’t tell you what it looked like. We passed through it at night. I sat mournful, hands splayed against the glass, desperate for a glimpse of something scenic while my partner scowled at me from across the sleeper cabin.

Thomas And Friends Thomas GIFfrom Thomas And Friends GIFs

In light of these experiences, and the fact that my husband has vowed to never set foot on a train again, I thought it might be fun to assemble some library picks for the discerning rail lovers among us. It’s probably much more convenient to experience a train journey from the comfort of your own home, anyway. There’s also much less risk that we’ll all end up sitting in a field in North Dakota staring at a discarded couch out of a dirty train window!