Train Dreams

Train Dreams is a haunting, lyrical novella that tells the life story of Robert Grainier, a day laborer in the American West at the start of the 20th century. Orphaned at a young age, Grainier lives through a period of rapid industrialization, working as a logger and railroad builder amidst the rugged landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

 

The story follows his humble existence—from his marriage to Gladys and the birth of their daughter, to a devastating forest fire that strips him of everything he loves. Following this tragedy, Grainier retreats into a solitary life as a hermit, haunted by memories, strange visions, and the "ghosts" of a vanishing frontier.