Teenager Brayden Dexter Greene has traveled North Alabama collecting photos of his favorite trains and railroad settings. From the peculiar freight engines of AMTRAK to the beautiful Heritage Units of Norfolk Southern to the new rebuilds of CSX locomotives, Brayden chronicles both the commonplace and unusual trains crisscrossing the state, carrying passengers and freight. He takes a close look at some notable shortlines, such as the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad out of Gadsden and the Huntsville & Madison County Railroad Authority, which locks down its engines in the downtown area of Huntsville. Backgrounds include Birmingham’s famous Sloss Furnaces and several notable railyards, including the CSX Boyles Yard in Tarrant, the Norfolk Southern Norris Yard in Irondale, and the BNSF East Thomas Yard in Birmingham. Featuring an introduction by renowned wildlife photographer and author of Journey Through the Lens Angie Birmingham, Brayden’s collection offers background and an essay urging teenaged railfans to pursue their photos and videos safely. Still, the images are the stars here, those mighty trains that move the world even as they inspire the passions of one teen who shares his favorites in Trains of Alabama!
Get Your Copy From Amazon Get Your Copy From BarnesandNobleThis book is very cool. I have been by some of these places without really seeing or understanding what is going on there. I’ve been that guy who’s down somewhere checking out the trains since I was a kid, so I appreciate the background and history Brayden adds along with his beautiful photos. I was mainly interested in the pics, having been hooked by that cover shot of the Amtrak passing the furnaces in Birmingham, but the extras about local shortlines included things I didn’t know, like what are those tracks in Guntersville and what about that line I cross on Governor’s Drive in Huntsville. Next time I’m in Huntsville I’m looking for those engines downtown tied down in the open. I’m not as much a “railfan” as some of my friends, but I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to having a cool gift for them. I’m impressed by the photos of such a young artist—only 14!—and look forward to more from this budding photo-historian. — Stephen Geez