Sample Songs
SAMPLE SONGS
Utah's best and brightest songwriters, singers and musicians perform 20 memorable songs, traditional and new. Produced by Utah music icon, Clive Romney this CD is included in the book and available as an MP3 download.
Listen
Preview demo audio clips from songs on the album below.
Complete Song Playlist
1. The Iron Horse —
the 1860s folksong introducing the book’s concept; the power and potential of the steam locomotive to help build the nation.
2. This Stupendous Project—
the story of Hartwell Carver and the beginnings of the dream of the transcontinental railroad.
3. Big Country —
Jefferson Davis and the Corps of Engineers survey possible routes gathering information and illustrations for Congress – helping them see what passengers might see along each possible route.
4. Crazy Judah— Grenville Dodge and Theodore Judah were independent surveyors; Judah’s passion and his intense dedication to the success of the TCR led to his nickname.
5. Watercolors — celebrates the women who influenced the building of the TCR. Anna Judah’s watercolor paintings helped “sell” the central route and the TCR project.
6. Money to Be Made (Might as Well Be Me) — the heroes and villains created by the competition between the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad companies.
7. Open Up the Throttle —
how the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 rang the starting bell for the feverish competition to lay the most miles of rail per day.
8. Around the Horn —
construction and supply challenges, and the high seas perspective as railroad locomotives, parts and equipment were carried from the east by ship to the Central Pacific.
9. Drill Ye Tarriers/Through Gum Saan —
drillers and blasters from Ireland and China give voice to their daily experiences making way for the road beds and rail lines.
10. The Honorable Road —
a deeper look into the Chinese railroad workers’ extreme dedication despite discrimination and hardship.
11. The Dance — the assembly-line-like choreography of laborers and the commerce that followed them along the way.
12. Blowing Things Up —
explores the challenges, risks, and casualties of moving mountains in order to win the race to earn the most money per day.
13. Black Cloud —
anguished Native Americans lament over the TCR’s impact on their nations and way of life.
14. Echo Canyon—
a lively look into the story of the Mormon graders’ work on the TCR with a spotlight on the “Thousand Mile Tree” where the Mormon workers signed their names.
15. The Last Spike—
the driving of the last four spikes and the national celebration.
16. Success that Works Both Ways –
the symbiosis of businesses that sustain the TCR and those that spring up and grow because of the TCR.
17. The Pea Vine —
the story of the Sanpete Creeper, an example of the spurs that brought freight and travel to cities both large and small.
18. A Journey Through Wonderland—
Elia Peattie’s description of the experience of riding the train and meeting the rail industry workers along the way.
19. The Thistle’s Thorn — the stories of railroad failures, including ghost towns and a landslide that obliterated the entire town of Thistle and its rail line.
20. I Can’t Just Rein Her In — the train and truck accident that stands as a metaphor for the changes the railroad brought to the nation.
ENHANCED AUDIOBOOK
Listen now to our audiobook sample performed by the professional storytellers who wrote the book. Available separately.
