Full Description
This is the story of the vagabond canines that hopped on railroads across the United States, often becoming celebrities and national heroes. Chapters introduce canines like Owney, guardian of the railway mail service; Fala, FDR's beloved dog and train-companion; Annie, the Colorado railway ambassador; the K9 patrols who watch over the tracks; and many more.
As railroads were changing America, these raildogs were changing the people who lived and worked in rail communities. For the dogs of the railways, home became the hearts of the people of the railroad. More than the dogs themselves, this book is about the human-animal relationship between a dog and a community and moments in history where that relationship symbolized the quest for home and belonging, a search that humans often share with our canine travelers.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
1. Owney: Guardian of the Railway Mail Service, 1888-1897
2. The Railroad Jacks: Hoboes, Travelers, and Philanthropists, Mid-1880s-1931
3. Roxey: The Long Island Railroad Commuter, 1904-1914
4. Sheba's Bob: Dog Detective of the Long Island Railroad, 1906-1916
5. Annie: The Colorado Southern Railway Ambassador of Kindness, 1934-1948
6. Shep: Faithfulness on the Great Northern Railroad, 1931-1942
7. Fala: A Raildog Rides the Funeral Train, 1945
8. Brownie: The Victorville, California, Railroad Station Mascot, 1943-1945
9. Railroad K9 Patrols: Guardians of the Railways, 2022
10. Companion Pets Hop on Board, 2015 and Beyond
11. International Raildogs, 1953-2016
12. Raildogs: Finding the Way Home
Appendix: Monuments and Memorials to Raildogs
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
