Tales From the Rails, Volume One: 1920s Riders
Hello Friends! This is the first part of a series that I will call “Tales From the Rails,” where I will talk about experiences that happened to me while working on trains, either as train crew or as engine crew. Most will be from my time in the train crew, as that is where you…
The Curse of the Rails: Halloween Terror and Laughs at the Trolley Museum
Every year, railroads and museums across the country host autumn-themed events. Some are geared toward children and families, while others are geared toward adults. This post is about my experience at an adult-oriented show at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in Windsor, Connecticut. It was quite entertaining, I thought, and some of the cast and crew…
The Cozy Autumn Stretch: Winter Holidays Steaming Up the Line!
Hello friends! This week’s post will include some stories about work, so please remember that the views expressed here are my own and may not directly reflect those of the organizations I work and volunteer for. At the time of this writing, it is mid-October in southern New England, where I live and work. For…
The Early Years of a Handicapped Railroader
Hello, my friends! For this week’s post, I will share my earliest experiences with trains and railroading. This story will touch on how I learned to love trains, starting a lifelong passion for trains and locomotives (especially steam trains). I will also briefly touch on what sets me apart from most other railroaders: my prosthetic…
How Does the Remarkable Diesel Locomotive Work?
The diesel locomotive is the most common form of rail propulsion in the modern world… but how do they work?
Mental Health and Railroading: Staying Healthy on the Rails
Mental health ties into working on the railroad in some important ways. I share some of what has helped keep my mind sound when working on the rails.
The Railroading Captain
For those who love the rails
This is how it all started…
In November of 1990, my life began. Not long after, I would be watching Thomas and Friends on VHS, which began a lifelong love of trains. Then one Christmas, my uncle would give me my first electric train set. It was a Lionel Large Scale Thomas, with Annie & Clarabel, and a circle of track. Hence began my love of model railroading. Loving model trains would turn into loving real trains as I entered adulthood, and today I proudly work on heritage trains.
This venture began in 2024 as a way to launch a new business venture, further my writing skills, and share my love of railroading with the wider community. Thank you so much for coming aboard, and don’t forget to subscribe!
Bill McNally is a lifelong lover of trains that run on steam. He is also a licensed Captain and enjoys piloting boats.