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Trains have long symbolized connection and resilience, carrying both memories and hope. Inspired by personal experiences and the timeless themes of The Homecoming, The Gift of the Train celebrates love, perseverance, and reunion.
Trains have always been a part of my life, threading through my memories like tracks winding through hills and valleys. They’ve carried me through moments of joy and wonder, heartbreak and resilience, always reminding me of the connections that tie us to each other and the world.
When I set out to write The Gift of the Train, I wanted to capture that sense of connection—the feeling of hope and perseverance that comes from waiting for a train, whether it’s literal or symbolic.
A heartwarming 1930s Christmas story set in snowy Thurmond, WV, highlighting hope, family, and the magic of a train’s arrival.
The story was inspired in part by a Christmas memory from my childhood: watching The Homecoming: A Christmas Story with my family when it premiered on television in 1971. Set during the Great Depression in the Appalachian town of Walton’s Mountain, the movie tells the story of the Walton family as they wait for their father to return home for Christmas. Snow has delayed him, and as the family prepares for the holiday, their faith and love are tested in ways both small and profound.
The themes of The Homecoming—hope, family, resilience, and the quiet sacrifices we make for one another—stayed with me for decades. When I began writing The Gift of the Train, I found myself drawing on those themes, reshaping them through the lens of my personal experiences and my deep connection to the rail industry.
The Gift of the Train is a tribute to the power of connection, the resilience of the human spirit, and the workers who keep our lifelines moving. May it remind you of the simple yet profound gifts we give each other through love, faith, and sacrifice.
A Childhood Steeped in Trains
My fascination with trains started early. Some of my fondest memories revolve around toy train sets, especially the Christmas when my Uncle Richie helped me set one up at my grandmother’s house. We spent hours snapping the tracks together, adjusting the little cars, and watching them race around the loop. For me, that train set wasn’t just a toy—it was a symbol of connection. It brought my uncle and me together in a moment of shared wonder, a moment that felt as magical as Christmas itself.
Looking back, I realize how much those childhood moments mirrored the themes of The Homecoming. In the movie, the Walton children find joy and meaning in the simplest of things—gathering around the fire, sharing stories, or preparing the house for Christmas despite their father’s absence. Those quiet acts of connection and resilience are reflected in The Gift of the Train, where Henry and his mother, Maggie, work together to keep hope alive as they wait for the train carrying their father and husband.
Living Near the Tracks
As a child, I grew up just a block away from the mainline to Chicago in Danville, Illinois. The sound of trains rumbling through the night became a constant in my life—a rhythm so familiar that I hardly noticed it after a while. But when I left home, I found myself missing that sound. The trains had been more than background noise; they were a reminder of motion, connection, and the wider world beyond my small town.
In The Homecoming, the train that might bring the Walton father home is an unseen presence, its tracks a thread tying the family to a world beyond their snowbound mountain. Similarly, in The Gift of the Train, the tracks running through Thurmond, West Virginia, are a lifeline, carrying the promise of reunion and the weight of hope. Both stories capture the way trains symbolize something larger than themselves—they are vessels of connection, linking not just places but people and dreams.
Tragedy on the Rails
Not all my train memories are joyful. In high school, I played baseball in the Twilight League for Norfolk and Southern. My teammates, many of them older, were kind and encouraging, showing me the ropes and helping me grow as a player. Years later, I was devastated to learn that a couple of those same teammates had been killed in a train accident. An unexpected train entered a work zone, cutting their lives short in an instant.
That tragedy was a sobering reminder of the immense power of trains and the responsibility that comes with working on or around them. It deepened my respect for the railroad workers who dedicate their lives to keeping the tracks safe and the trains running.
A Year in the Rockies
After college, I worked on the mainline through the Rockies near Pinecliff, Colorado, following a catastrophic train accident in 1991. On a frigid October night, a Southern Pacific freight train exited the 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel, a vital passage through the Continental Divide, and collided with a 60-ton boulder that had fallen onto the tracks. The impact derailed the locomotive, sending it tumbling 500 feet down a steep mountainside in a fiery explosion that tragically claimed the lives of two crew members.
The crash was not just a tragedy but a stark reminder of the dangers railroad workers face. Crews worked tirelessly in the aftermath to restore the line, stabilizing the surrounding terrain to prevent future rockslides. I was part of the team that spent months reinforcing the rock face with anchors and bolts, ensuring that trains could continue moving safely through the mountains.
Working in the Rockies was humbling. The towering peaks and sheer cliffs reminded me of nature’s power, while the dedication of the crews who maintained these lifelines inspired a deep respect. That experience stayed with me and found its way into The Gift of the Train. The snow-covered setting of Thurmond, West Virginia, mirrors the isolation and beauty of those mountains, while the train’s journey through a blizzard reflects the resilience of those who keep the tracks open.
Faith, Family, and the Spirit of Christmas
What stayed with me most from The Homecoming was its portrayal of family. The Waltons’ love for one another is the heart of the story, expressed not through grand gestures but through quiet acts of care and sacrifice. Watching it as a child, I didn’t fully grasp the weight of those moments, but as an adult, they resonate deeply.
In The Gift of the Train, Henry and Maggie’s bond reflects that same spirit. Maggie, like Olivia Walton, is the anchor of the household, balancing her own fears with the need to keep hope alive for her child. Henry’s unwavering belief in his father mirrors the Walton children’s faith, a faith that carries them through uncertainty and doubt.
Both stories are set at Christmas because the holiday magnifies our longing for connection. Christmas isn’t just about presents—it’s about the promise of reunion, the joy of being together, and the quiet miracles that make those moments possible.
A Tribute to Railroad Workers
Writing The Gift of the Train was also an opportunity to honor the men and women who dedicate their lives to the railroads. Having spent over 35 years in the industry and now working in Amtrak’s engineering department, I’ve seen firsthand the sacrifices these workers make. They brave harsh weather, long hours, and immense challenges to ensure the trains keep running—connecting families, delivering goods, and carrying the promise of home.
As part of Amtrak’s Capital Delivery Engineering Services team, I contribute to transformative projects that aim to modernize the rail infrastructure in the Northeast Corridor. From the new Hudson River Tunnel to the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation and the Frederick Douglass Tunnel programs, I work on multi-billion-dollar initiatives to improve rail services for generations to come.
The story is my tribute to those workers and to the timeless themes of The Homecoming. It’s a reminder that even in the most difficult times, hope and perseverance can carry us through.
Tracks That Lead Us Home
As I reflect on my own journey, I see the tracks that have shaped my life—not just physical ones, but emotional and symbolic ones. Trains have carried me through moments of joy and loss, hope and resilience. They’ve taught me that even in the face of uncertainty, the promise of connection is worth believing in.
If you’ve been inspired by these themes, I invite you to read The Gift of the Train. Set in 1933 Thurmond, West Virginia, it’s a heartwarming Appalachian Christmas tale of hope, family, and perseverance. Follow young Henry Evans and his mother as they wait for the train carrying the promise of reunion and the spirit of Christmas.
This Christmas, may we all find our way back to the people who matter most. Whether by train, by memory, or by heart, may your journey lead you home.
Click here to read The Gift of the Train.
Hero Image: Former train depot at Thurmond, a ghost town rich in railroad history in New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia.
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