The Nerve of Foley, and Other Railroad Stories

Set against the roar of steel rails in the turn‑of‑the‑century West, the collection opens with a vivid portrait of a bustling railroad depot where young, head‑strong engineers like Andy Cameron keep the high‑speed Flyer moving. The narrative captures the camaraderie, the restless ambition, and the thin line between confidence and recklessness that defines the men who live by the rhythm of the locomotive. As whispers of an engineer strike drift through the winter air, the everyday grind of scheduling, maintenance, and small‑talk suddenly feels precarious.

In the opening act, the strike erupts at three o’clock, halting trains across seven states and leaving the company’s leadership scrambling for a solution. The tension builds as dispatchers, superintendents, and a stoic railroad magnate exchange terse orders, while the crew faces a stark choice between negotiation and confrontation. Listeners are drawn into the smoky night‑time depot, the crackle of telegraph wires, and the first palpable clash between labor and management that threatens to bring an entire network to a grinding halt.