The author begins with a discussion on the operation of unit trains of all types, including details pertinent to model railroaders as well as those interested in prototypical railroad operation and routing. The book then segues into a collection of true railroad short stories, spanning a period from 1920 through the current days covering many phases of railway employment with a major focus on train operation and railroad management. Stories primarily cover the Midwest; but also a number of stories on the California desert and in the Pacific Northwest.