

On a train, I sit on the top of a two-story magic carpet while watching a technicolor diorama scrolling beside me as I progress from the mountains to the prairie, from sea to shining sea. What's he saying? Read spoke to NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer about his adventures. Getty Images You just can't compete with a train, according to Read. And I see the railroad tracks across America as the lace that ties us together," he said. Read also says the sprawling network of train lines offer a comforting perspective on the United States: "To me, this is America with a flag that is equal parts blue and red.He also once worked in publicity for a high-speed rail project in the 1980s, which aimed to build a San Diego to L.A.From there, he was captivated by the adventure and opportunity they offered. He said one of his earliest memories of trains was traveling home after seeing his father off to WWII.What's the big deal? For Read, there is a magic to trains that cars and planes just can't capture.
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In fact, after I finished it, I took trains all the way back to Los Angeles."
