This book presents first hand, historic and personal accounts of the work that made Sacramento the hub of the transcontinental railroad and Western railroading, interspersed with easy-to-understand explanations of the Sacramento Shops' significance to engineering, transportation, and development of the west. Included in the compilation are the most significant and interesting news and information from many Southern Pacific Bulletins and local newspapers spanning 1863-1940. Included are stories of:

• The triumph over fire and flood in the flatlands and on the grade to Donner Summit
• The history of snow equipment and structures on the line from Sacramento to Truckee
• The evolution of the refrigerator car to maintain food freshness
• The pursuit to maintain accurate timepieces and schedules
• The lives and livelihoods of Sacramento Shop workers
• The development and importance of the railroad watch
• The history of dining car service
• The Pullman Strike of 1894
• The science of fuel savings in the age of steam locomotives
• The large emphasis on safe equipment mandated by federal regulations