Whether it's a metaphor or a hulking machine, trains and their tracks occupy the imaginations of almost everyone who's ever heard a train whistle. Tonight we'll explore the allure of the rails on three fronts:
Humorist, essayist, and Fortune 500 business consultant Glenn Currie uses trains and boxcars as the basis for his new book of poetry, "Riding in Boxcars". We'll talk with him about choices we make on the journeys throughout life.
Chris Francis was a young man when he decided to drop out of school and become a "hobo". He rode the rails from state to state, letting fate decide his destinations. We'll hear his story from producer Ben Adair. The piece comes to us via the Public Radio Exchange. You can go directly to the story by clicking here.
And we'll learn about the efforts underway to restore the 1930s-era streamliner The Flying Yankee. It was a train created during the Great Depression to be an efficient and stylish way to get people back on the tracks. The train’s New England routes became so popular, it had to be replaced by larger trains. We'll hear about the history and future of the Flying Yankee from Paul Giblin, President of The Flying Yankee Restoration Group.
