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SFriends edition

​

Thank you for taking time to listen to one or more

of my stories.​

Scroll down to enjoy more stories.​

                                                      Rusty

RECENT REQUESTS 

Geneva Metra Rider Alerts

                       updated March 31, 2025

Riding the Rails

              Sara & Dewey 

                     

 

               Trains sometimes arrive

          on South Tracks (Platform 2)

​

           If train will arrive on Platform 2,

           an anouncement will be made

          7 minutes before scheduled train

 

                   Tap Here for details about

            'Track Anxiety' in Geneva         

                            and shelter options    

.

     Metra: Geneva to Chicago

  What you see, don't see along the way

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DG 'Rusty' Alderson

Gilded Age & Railroad Historian

Master Story Teller

   Amtrak Tour Guide & Tour Organizer 

           

     Robert Todd Lincoln reenactor

   

  20 year xTucson/Phoenix resident

      

         President  T.O.A.S. T.

Growing up adjacent to train tracks started my love for trains. Over the years I have gathered rail stories, organized 60 train excursions (involving thousands of riders), served as an Amtrak tour guide and train museum docent in Arizona and Illinois.

** How do we know where we are going ... if we don't know where we have been?

Popular Long Distance Train Trips

Chicago to Los Angeles

Chicago to Oakland

   CHECK OUT THIS 5 minute video

of an AMAZING TRAIN TRIP

    Amtrak

Popular

    1st Chocolate Brownie

    Chocolate-a health food

    History of Chocolate

    1st Ice Cream Sundae

    Candy bar named for horse

            and more

Connection to St. Charles

Connection to Mooseheart

Walt Disney's Connection

      to St Charles

      to Mooseheart

Walt Disney's Secret

          and more

President pardons Tad's Turkey

Famous Dog in Smithsonian Museum

Elephants Save St. Louis Bridge 

Pit Bull visits Kansas City - Yikes!

​Artist Made Cats Loveable

Geneva put Al Capone in Jail

St Charles Pickle Capital of the World

Batavia Food Co Corporate headquarters 

           and much much more

Trains

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A Little History and a Ride Along the Rails

Amtrak

Chicago to Los Angeles

Amtrak

Chicago to Oakland

JJ Keigley, Mike Best, and Roger Wilhelmi, W. Chicago, Batavia, and Geneva residents, share their stories and experiences from their

combined 135 years of working

on the railroad.  Be ready for an entertaining and informative session and for Mark Llanuza's photos.

 

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At the end of video, JJ Keigley, an immensely popular Metra conductor for 17 years, is shown being honored in a very moving ceremony on ABC 7 , Windy City Live, “Chicagoans you need to Know”.  Metra honors JJ by naming the UP West Corridor the “JJ Keigley Corridor” - .

Stories your History Teacher

didn't have time to share

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Topic Areas

History Makers

How Railroads Won the West

Places & Events

A. Lincoln Family

Frontier Arizona

​

Schedule a 20 min chat with Rusty

​

Email or call

​

GAstorybook@gmail.com

or call 224 449 1420

          The following are available
                   by REQUEST

 Rusty wants to be  your

History Story Concierge

​ .

For most of us, high school was boring .. as our teachers provided the 'foundation' (think dates, etc.).  

​

Thus, there was little time left for stories.

​

Rusty has been on the hunt for those entertaining and informative stories that would have made history class actually enjoyable.

           Before, During, After

          Gilded Age

                     Featuring

        FORGOTTEN HISTORY MAKERS

                    and events

         between 1830 and 1930

 history teachers didn't have time to share

             

    
          Series to choose from
            

.Email Rusty for information​

​

or call Rusty  224 449 1420

a Geneva number​​

​

    This is a complimentary service​ 

               Series 2    
            History Slices

 History Makers 1830 - 1930

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He wanted to paint but his dad wanted him to be an engineer ... his painting today is worth millions, his invention was revolutionary.

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Lincoln Family   1830 -1930

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Why did Robert Todd Lincoln wished he never played golf on that January 1906 day in Wheaton, IL

Gilded Age Living   1830 -1930

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​​This doctor's method and prescription for dealing with stress ... well, let's say were interesting  

Early Railroads    1830 -1930

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This railroad baron took on a mistress, who he eventually married.  Upon his death, he subsequently married his nephew (also a RR Baron) and together they  established a renowned museum.

Frontier Arizona 1830 -1930

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 Going beyond the TV Westerns

Places and Events 1830-1930

 

 

 The first Las Vegas is not where

one would ever imagine

    
      Series  1
Stories by Theme   

                  Early Railroads &

       Gilded Age History Makers

 

How RR Barons Met Their Wives

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Hist Makers Who Died Broke

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They Impacted History

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 Sons of Legendary Fathers

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California Rail Barons 

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Disgraced Powerful Men

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Creative Frauds

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Game Changers

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Interesting Railroad Men

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How They Found Their 'Gold'

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Sons Who Were Duds

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Unusual Events

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     Rusty's Best Stories  

Podcast         Text   

​ .

    
           Series 3
      Monthly Stories
               

  1. He painted the Masters in the Louvre, but failed to sell his painting in America, thus having to turn to Plan B;  his invention changed communication.                                      .      

      

  

2.   The new railroad would put its future on t         he line when it accepted an dare to race

        a horse.

       

 

3.   Louise's father told George, an immigrant,        he wasn't good enough for his daughter.  

      George set out to prove him wrong.  

      

 

4.   What was so valuable 1000 years ago that        led cacao traders from Central America to

      trade with Native Americans  in the Four

       Corners Region (AZ, UT, CO, NM).

     

 

5.   The father’s assassination helped to create

      a company his son would become CEO

      some 30 years later at the age of 56 and

       would serve as CEO & Chairman of the

       Board  for 25 years before retiring  at

       age 79.

        

      

 

6.   The question of the day regarding horses

        led to an invention we enjoy today.

        

 

 

7.   No one realized that this new invention

       could some day shrink the nation.

 

 

8..  Beautiful, sophisticated women leading

      cause of  stress, among other conditions

      leads to Americanitis 

      Request Themes

      for the following:

​

     Gilded Age Women

     A. Lincoln Family

     Frontier Arizona

     

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  ​​T.O.A.S.T.​

NEWSLETTER

​

  March Edition

        

       Information and/or to 

    schedule a call with Rusty 

​

                     Email

       GAstorybook@gmail.com

​

         or call Rusty directly

              224 449 1420

​             (10am - 8pm Mon-Sat)

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  ​​RED CABOOSE

TRAIN

TALKS & TOURS 

​

  Yesterday/Today

        

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