The Horse Who Helped Build the Great Railroad
Shirley Ray Redmond
Illustrated by Lois Bradley
Everyone knows that trains helped build the West, but few know the story of Blind Tom, a sightless workhorse who pulled flatcars for construction crews on the world’s first transcontinental rail-road. Stalwartly pulling his heavy load through rain, mud, and snow, Tom contributed in his own way to American history.
Although Tom was blind, his strength and spirit led him to be chosen as the lead horse for the Union Pacific line. Hardworking, patient, and loyal, he was the pride of the UPRR. Telegraph operators tracked the rail workers’ daily progress by asking, “Where’s Blind Tom today?” He even became a minor celebrity as reporters around the country picked up the story of the tenacious blind horse.
As informative as it is entertaining, this charmingly illustrated book includes a map of the railroad route, a “Things to Know” page, and a list of museums and Web sites with information about railroad history.
48 pages, 8.375 x 9, paperback
Item 621, ISBN 978-0-87842-558-7
Ages 6 and Up
