Review of Rails North

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Review of Rails North

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1ulmannc
aug 17, 2013, 9:16 pm

I'll save you some time looking for the review. Here it is!

Rails North seems to be a favorite title for both railroad books or stories of wandering the country side. This one covers both! Hugh d'Autremont had a bit of a rough life, moved around and then decided to take off on his own. He decided to become a hobo and ride the rails! One certainly gets a feel for what this type of wandering was like during the 1934 - 1935 time period in the Western US. The story also gives a good feel of how one survived during the depression while traveling as a 'bo. After returning home, Hugh decided to go again the next summer and took some buddies and his brother with him. A whole different set of events ensued when multiple high school students decide to ride the rails.

How 'The Boy' remembered all the details with no apparent written record seems rather amazing to me. This is a crossover book for those that like railroading adventures and how railroads operated from a personal perspective during this part of the Depression. I guess it may be a stretch to say a 'bo is a railroader but most became rather knowledgeable in its operation or they were dead. The danger does come through but you can see how it becomes second nature and the 'bo that survived learned the important rules of their railroad world.

It's been a while since I gave a book a 4 star rating on my scale but this one falls into that are. It was an enjoyable read and I learned a bit more about the depression life and the railroad life of hobos. Rails North is worth your time. I'm going to have to read the other book by Hugh d'Autremont when I find it!