The Boy Who Rode the Rails

<p>In the sleepy town of Paxton Alabama 1961 seventeen-year-old narrator lives in the shadow of a father he never knew—a railroad stationmaster who died in WWII before he was born. When a twist of legal fortune grants his family ownership of an abandoned rail yard he discovers an incredible secret: a forgotten Civil War-era locomotive the Tullahoma hidden away in an old repair shop.</p><p>With the help of his spirited girlfriend Samantha and his history teacher Mr. Smith he embarks on an ambitious restoration project that becomes more than just salvaging a piece of history—it's his chance to connect with the father he never met who had begun the locomotive's restoration decades earlier.</p><p>As the trio works to bring the Tullahoma back to life in time for the town's centennial celebration the young man navigates first love small-town politics and his uncertain future beyond high school. Each turn of a wrench each brushstroke of paint brings him closer to understanding his father's legacy and his own potential.</p><p>But when disaster strikes on the day of the big reveal an unlikely alliance becomes their only hope to share their triumph with the town. In this heartwarming tale of history heritage and healing a boy finds that sometimes the most important journeys are the ones that lead us home—to ourselves to our past and to the people we love.</p>