Tunnel 6
About
When Geraldine Halloran arrives at the Central Pacific end of track in the winter of 1866, she’s resolved not to be terrified. After all, she has a right to be there. She was hired on as regular telegraph operator, though they thought they were hiring a man. She’s the only other woman at Tunnel 6, except for Mrs. Strobridge, the superintendent’s wife. Tunnel 6 was said by some to be impossible. Nothing like it had ever been done. It was to be a railroad tunnel linking California with Nevada, over 1700 feet long and 6000 feet altitude, dug through solid granite using black powder, nitroglycerin, and more than 5000 Chinese laborers.
Geraldine begins to have second thoughts when it gradually becomes clear that someone is trying to sabotage the railroad. And also trying to kill the man she loves.
Read this book because secrets may be revealed.
Praise for this book
I like this author so I read all of his books. I really like the time period of his books. I feel like I’m right there.
Tunnel 6 is another of Steve Bartholomew's extremely entertaining presentations of some of the more obscure chapters of California history. I've become a real fan, over the years and this book was almost read in a single period. His characters are well-revealed, and the pacing keeps the pages turning. The story focuses upon the railroad camps in the Sierras during the race to create a Transcontinental railway. A female telegrapher, a journalist, a surveyor and a corporate/confederate spy maneuver around each other in a delicate dance. Secrets passed may be truth or lies. Tunnel 6 is as full of compelling facts and historic color as his previous books. If you are a reader of historic American fiction, then by all means, add Tunnel 6 to your reading list.
Author Steve Bartholomew gives the reader a well-paced story involving four main characters. By focusing on just four individuals, he keeps things simple. The reader becomes invested in their lives and that kept me turning the pages of a relatively short novel. First-person narratives help as well. His grasp of the history of the transcontinental is solid and he doesn't let the details get in the way of telling a story. There are minor inaccuracies such as calling Coburn's Station the town of Truckee, but I'm sure that was just to give the reader an idea of where the novel takes place in today's world. There's a surprise ending, which I found to be engaging, but not overly dramatic. I wrote a novel that focused on the building of the transcontinental railroad, called China Grade, so I'm a familiar with the historical background. You can still visit the tunnels today, and walk through them, which I highly recommend. All in all, a fun read.
This historical fiction takes the reader to the early days of the railroad in the US. It was the time when competition was intense to be the first company to complete the line east/west and when the challenge to tunnel through the mountains was not the only obstacle. Accidents, possible sabotage and deep snow drifts all delay the work.
In a male dominated workforce and against a background of uncertainty and danger, a young woman telegraph operator performs a remarkable job.
An intriguing tale told from various standpoints in this well-written story.
A recommended read.