Building the Old West, One Rail Tie At a Time by Nancy Fraser

As an author of western historical romance, I’ve always been fascinated by the way things were built. Whether it was the speed with which towns sprung up during the many land grabs, or the development of these small towns and, with them, an influx of businesses. Today though, I want to focus on the railroads.

During my research, I discovered that there were several smaller railroad companies, over and above the big names that are familiar to us, even today. What I was primarily interested in was how they guaranteed safety for both their employees and passengers. What I discovered became an important focus of my next book, Adam’s Heartbreak.

Along with the main rail lines, there were businesses that popped up out of nowhere to inspect the newly installed lines and guarantee their integrity. Quite often, these companies were no more than frauds out to make a quick buck with little to no regard to their job. However, there were reputable firms who employed surveyors, engineers, and experts in the surrounding environments.

Laying down tracks wasn’t just a matter of throwing down the rails, ties, and thick spikes that held everything together. Often the terrain where the rails were being placed demanded more than just a standard iron rail. That was when the mechanical or structural engineering came into play. Sloped land required a certain type of rail, dry land (like in the desert areas of Nevada and northern California) required another.

When the wrong type of rail was installed, accidents happened. Often railroad companies cut out the middleman and hired their own design engineers. Yet, on the rare occasion there were issues/accidents, the local authorities would often call in one of the aforementioned inspectors to assess the crash site. Their findings could bankrupt a company if the error occurred because of poor design or improper installation.

Back in the mid to late 1800s, liability insurance wasn’t a thing. Quite often the railways (especially the smaller ones) got away with paying off the families of those injured or killed because of their negligence. Most often these payoffs came in the form of covering the deceased funeral expenses, and providing a small pension to the widow if there was one. More often than not, these smaller rail companies would eventually fold, and any benefit being paid would dry up.

Railway widows were a common theme during the height of the construction. Some were widowed due to accidents on the line, and some lost their husbands during the initial construction. Families who hired solicitors to press the rail company into paying lost more often than not and ended up actually paying out money to the attorney they hired to assist them.

Working on the line was a dirty job and no doubt responsible in part for the shorter life spans of those men who worked on laying the tracks. The families who lived in the railway camps also suffered horrible conditions. Very few camps had schools for the children. Most often, houses of worship were no more than a tent set up among the shacks. All in all, it was a horrible way to live, but a necessity for building a better, stronger country and connecting the smaller towns to larger cities for both convenience and profit.

About Adam’s Heartbreak

Adam Miller is a haunted man. He holds himself responsible for the death of a half dozen men working on the railroad line he designed. Following the incident, he lost both his job and the woman he planned to marry. Rather than look for another job as an engineer, he turns to ranching.

Milly Parker arrives in Perces at the request of her maternal grandfather. Will returning to the small town where she lost her parents bring back the worst of her memories? And what do she and the handsome rancher have in common?

Despite both their best intentions, they seem to be drawn to one another. Could fate reveal an unknown truth, and faith give them both a chance at happiness?

Available on Kindle Unlimited and for purchase at: AMAZON

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If you enjoy playing games, I’ve created both a word search and a jigsaw puzzle.

Wordsearch: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/6332276/adams-heartbreak-word-search/

Jigsaw Puzzle: https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=1adeb6fa16b2

I’d love to hear from all the readers out there.

Have you ever traveled by train?

If so, to where and what did you think of the experience?

I’m giving away two autographed copies of Adam’s Heartbreak. All you have to do to enter is comment below for a chance to win.

 

Until my next visit, stay happy, stay healthy, stay well read.

Blessings,

Nancy