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Thank you for your interest in Lost at Thaxton! This page is for those of you who may have readers, listeners, and/or viewers that would be interested in the true story of the wreck of passenger train Number Two at Thaxton, Virginia. The forgotten story is brought to life through the book in the form of a story-based narrative. The reader will feel as if he or she was riding along on the train that night in 1889 and witnessed the events as they happened. Even though the story is told in this manner, every detail in the narrative is directly related to information found through research. Descriptions of the weather, the geography, physical descriptions of passengers and crew, and even descriptions of the train itself are all based on eyewitness statements and historical documents.

The book also dives deeper into the causes of the wreck, what happened in the months and years afterward, and some mysteries that were revealed during the research for the book. It contains over thirty photographs which include the wreck, the train itself, pictures of passengers and crew, the area where the wreck took place, and others.

I sincerely appreciate your interest in the book, and I believe that your audience will find it to be an exciting and interesting story. If you would like to share the story with your readers/listeners/viewers, hopefully the information on this page will help to make your job easier. Please contact us if you have any questions at all. Thanks! – Michael Jones

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Book Specifications

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911011
Page Count: 224
Large Print Page Count: 352
Year of first printing: 2013
Year of second edition first printing: 2022
Trim Size: 6″ x 9″
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-9890046-3-3
Large print hardcover ISBN: 978-0-9890046-7-1
Large print paperback ISBN: 978-0-9890046-8-8
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9890046-9-5
Kindle/eBook ISBN: 979-8-9864354-0-4
Suggested Retail Price (Hardcover): $26.99
Suggested Retail Price (Paperback): $19.99
Suggested Retail Price (Large-print Hardcover): $29.99
Suggested Retail Price (Large-print Paperback): $22.99

Excerpts

I was greatly surprised to hear that an accident had occurred at this culvert, as I regarded it as one of the safest on the line.

The wrecked cars burned with a fierceness that could not have been equaled if every stick of timber had been soaked in oil.

In the morning we found that there were four or five houses around the wreck. We screamed and the men yelled, but nobody seemed to have come to our relief. With all the noise I don’t see why those people could sleep, anyhow

I will not leave, ladies, until I see you all safe; I am a Virginian.

The shrieks and groans of the imprisoned victims could be distinctly heard from the bank.

I have stood on the battlefield, and heard shot and shell rattling around me, and seen my comrades falling like leaves in autumn, but I have never seen anything that curdled my blood with horror or moved me to deeper depths of compassion than the scenes of that dreadful night.

There never was such a rain fell on me to my recollection. Yes, sir, it was a scary time.

Little pieces of bodies could be seen, and were gathered in, and in some cases ashes, though most of the burned bodies in the shape of ashes had been washed away.

We have no knowledge of Mr. H. B. Wheeler whatsoever. If he was on the train that was wrecked he has not been accounted for, and I presume has been lost. His body has not been recovered, but may have been burned in the wreck.

It rained so it looked like it would take my breath away.

When I visited the scene you could not find wood enough to make a door, so complete had been the wash away and consumption by fire.

We may not know where their ashes slumber, but God himself will keep a faithful watch over their sacred dust.

The air was very still when I came out and the rain was coming down very steadily, but from the direction of the mountain, I heard very distinctly a very loud noise, a heavy rumbling in the clouds, that sounded something like an earthquake.

I just stayed there and did not know what to do, but just think on the Lord and asked him to spare me.

It was different from any rain I ever saw in its violence, and duration.

I never passed through a more terrible experience in my life, and I assure you I have no desire to participate in such another.

It was the most horrible thing I ever witnessed.

The first I recollect when I came to my senses I was halloing for help.

Oh, to see the wounded—all is a picture before me continually, and I never will again travel in the night.

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Book Specifications

Excerpts

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