(The Reverend Dr. Todd, of Massachusetts. A dedicatory prayer at Promontory Point, the golden spike ceremony. George Kraus. High Road to Promontory. American West, 1969, p. 274.)

The immensity, power, and design of each train begin to inspire awe and draw a person to desire to know more. Sure, a train is a train--loud, rumbling, something to be wary of. But there is such a powerful beauty about them. Watercolorist Howard Fogg, a man who loved the railroad, will inspire your young artists. A collection of his work is found in The Railroad Artistry of Howard Fogg (San Rafael, CA: Cedco, 1999).

Once your eyes become trained on the railroad, it just doesn't seem as though you will ever reach the end o' line (see the sidebar glossary for the meaning of this and other railroad terms)!

Railroad Facts and Activities
The largest steam engines ever built were American. The Union Pacific Railroad's 4000 Class of freight locomotives were nicknamed the Big Boys. A steam engine is known by a special wheel code. The Big Boy was known by 4-8-8-4, the numbers of leading, driving, second set of driving, and trailing wheels. See if you can figure out the wheel code while watching an engine.

Look up the term "Maglev" and see what it means.

Who are these people? Find out how they fit into train history:
John Stevens, George Westinghouse, Andrew Jackson Beard, George B. Dorey, and George Pullman; and these women: Eliza Murfey, Catherine Gibbon, Mary Riggin, and Mary Walton.

What other kinds of trains are there that aren't mentioned here? How about train terms--can you find any more that aren't in the sidebar glossary?

Trains unit study by Amanda Bennett-- www.unitstudy.com/trains.htm 
Unit study on trains-- www.childrensmuseum.org/teachers/unitsofstudy/trains/index.htm 
A wonderful list of reviews of train books for children--www.childrenslit.com/th_trains.html
All about cabooses!-- www.railfanclub.org/trainlessCABOOSE.asp
Timelines-- www.sdrm.org/history/timeline and www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/tcrr/timeline/index.html
The Railroad Paint Shop by Joshua Moldover-- paintshop.railfan.net
Chris Carey's photos of the engines at Promontory!-- pics4learning.com 

Sources and Resources
Beebe, Lucius, and Charles Clegg. When Beauty Rode the Rails. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1962. Pictorial collection of railroads.
Fraser, Mary Ann. Ten Mile Day. New York: Henry Holt, 1993. Child's reading level, beautifully illustrated throughout. Inside back cover, illustrations of railroad tools and supplies.
Garratt, Colin. The Golden Age of Steam. New York: Lorenz, 1998.
Kraus, George. High Road to Promontory. Palo Alto, CA: American West, 1969.
Middleton, William D. Landmarks on the Iron Road. Bloomington, IA: Indiana University Press, 1999. A study of the development of civil engineering and the construction of railroads, tunnels, bridges, and the men who created them.
Stein, R. Conrad. The Story of the Golden Spike. Chicago: Children's Press, 1978.
Wormsier, Richard. The Iron Horse: How the Railroads Changed America. Walker, 1993.
Zimmerman, Karl. Steam Locomotives. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills, 2004.

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Glossary of Railroading Terms - Click Here

Timeline of Trains and Railroad Transportation - Click Here

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Nancy Baetz and her husband Ken have four children. Nancy enjoys learning with her children about God's creation, and she lives for Summer! She also likes to write about her experience as a homeschooling mom, takes zillons of photographs as a freelance photographer, and spends as much time as she can in her wildflower patch! www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/ByHisGraceinColorado

Copyright 2006. Originally appeared in Summer 2006. Used with permission. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Right now, 19 free gifts when you subscribe. www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com