Roundhouse Crosstalk

Join us for Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this episode we look at how the development of the intellectual disability system and the expansion of railroad networks intertwined. For this discussion we sit down with Elliott Simon author of "Hellbound Train: The Beginning of The Pennsylvania State Institutional System or People with Intellectual Disabilities" (https://muse.jhu.edu/article/862856)...

Join us for another episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk as we explore the influence of Pullman Porters on the development of the popular card game, Bid Whist and discover the intersection of history, culture, and card games. In this episode we interview Lamont Jones author of "The Gist of Bid Whist" available now: https://www.amazon.com/Gist-Bid-Whist-Culturally-Rich-America/dp/B0CN319X34

Join us for Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this episode, we interview Edward Segal, author of the new book, 'Whistle Stop Politics.' We delve into anecdotes from some of the most famous campaign trains, the relationship between the press and candidates, and how the unique nature of railroad travel influenced political campaigns. Whistle Stop Politics releases on 2/13/2024. Pre-Order Whistle Stop...

In this week's episode new podcast co-host Summer sits down with Suzette Mayr author of The Sleeping Car Porter, a historical fiction novel about Baxter a queer black Pullman Porter. Mayr's work helps audiences explore the role of the Sleeping Car Porters through the story of one fictionalized experience. The Sleeping Car Porter: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61354631

Happy Holidays! In this episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk we enjoy three festive stories inspired by the railroad and the museum. Imagined and written by Emilie DeFazio. Produced, directed, and edited by Amanda DeFazio. Performed by Li Garcia, Alex Clark, Jake Jennerjohn, Debbie Hollingsworth, Amanda DeFazio, and Carl Hayes. Opening music written and performed by Lexi Snyder. Executive production by...

Listen to Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this week´s episode we sit down with California State Parks Interpreter Debbie Hollingsworth to learn about the work of the Chinese Railroad Workers who built the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad. In this episode we discuss what happened after these workers built through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We discuss them helping the Central Pacific break t...

Listen to Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this week´s episode we sit down with California State Parks Interpreter Debbie Hollingsworth to learn about the work of the Chinese Railroad Workers who built the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad. In this episode we discuss how they built the Transcontinental Railroad, what their conditions were like as they blasted through the granite rock of the Si...

Join us as we sit down with Daniel Rück, author of “The Laws and the Land: The Settler Colonial Invasion of Kahnawà:ke in Nineteenth-Century Canada,” to explore the history of Indigenous-settler relations in Canada. We’ll discuss the conflicts between settler laws and Indigenous legal orders, Indigenous resistance, and the ways in which settler colonialism reflects on the landscape through grids,...

Join us for this week's episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk. In this episode we sit down with Stephen R. Brown to learn about his new book Dominion: The Railway and The Rise of Canada about the building of Canada's Transcontinental Railroad. Learn More: https://www.amazon.com/Dominion-Railway-Canada-Stephen-Bown/dp/0385698720

Happy Halloween from us at the California State Railroad Museum! In this episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk we enjoy three spooky stories inspired by the railroad and the museum.  Imagined and written by Emilie DeFazio.  Performed by Li Garcia, Amanda DeFazio, and Crystal Skaggs.  Produced and edited by Amanda DeFazio.  Opening music written and performed by Lexi Snyder.  Exe...

This episode Jason Rankins, our Guide II Supervisor at the California State Railroad Museum, will be speaking with Dr. Max Geier, an Emeritus Professor of History at Western Oregon University. Dr. Geier is also the author of the book “The Color of Night: Race, Railroaders, and Murder in the Wartime West.” His book focuses on railroad workers in California and Oregon. The book investigates the tria...

Join us as we sit down with Mia Bay, author of "Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance", to explore the experiences, struggles, and resilience of Black individuals as they navigated through a landscape marked by discrimination and adversity. Bay’s new book uncovers stories that have long been overlooked, shedding light on the enduring legacy of Black travelers and their signific...

In this episode we sit down with LaDonna DiCamillo the Southern California Regional Director for the California High Speed Rail Authority. We discuss updates on the construction process, what the agency is doing to minimize environmental harm, how the agency works with community partners, and what goals the agency has in building the nation’s first high speed rail.  Learn more: Website: https://hs...

In this episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk, we sit down with Julia Sizek to delve into the profound impact of the railroad checkerboard on the California Desert, its Ingenious communities, and modern water use rights. Julia's dissertation serves as the foundation for our exploration as we uncover how this historical pattern of land ownership continues to shape the desert today. To learn more abou...

Join us for this week's episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk where we interview Sarah Federman about her book Last Train to Auschwitz ! In this episode we discuss the historical impact of the French railways during the Holocaust. Uncover the complex role the SNCF played as Holocaust collaborators, resistance fighters, and as victims throughout World War II. We'll also explore the complex legal...

Join us for this Week's Episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk where we explore the connection between Southern California's citrus industry and the development of the railroad. For this episode we interview Benjamin Jenkins whose new book, The Octopuses Garden, deep dives into this topic. To learn more about these connections check out The Octopuses Garden: https://kansaspress.ku.edu/97807006347...

Join us for this week’s episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk as we explore the Colorado-Kansas Railroad. This little-known railway had big dreams of providing electricity to parts of Kansas and consisting of over 300 miles of electric track. Though this line never succeeded in its ambitious goals, it made a lasting impact on the region through its unintended involvement in local politics that is still...

In this week’s episode H. Roger Grant, professor and prolific railroad author, jumps back on the podcast to discuss the role of the railroad in dreams of utopia. For this podcast we focused on farmers hoping to establish their own community railroads in the late 1800s as a form of self-help and community building. We'll explore the challenges faced by farmers, their grievances against unfair s...

In our newest episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk “Chasing Trains and Capturing Time: The Railroad Photography of Phil Hasting” we sit down with Tony Reevy to discuss his newest book The Railroad Photography of Phil Hastings. Get ready for an inspiring journey that will transport you to a realm where steel meets artistry, and where trains become more than mere modes of transportation.

Join us for this week's episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this week's episode high school senior Miles Rankins sits down with former Roundhouse Crosstalk co-host Amanda De Fazio and long time museum docent Helen Ornellas to discuss the influence of jazz and the railroad. Musicians traveled from city to city on the trains, playing in clubs and venues across the country. The rhythms of the...

Join us for this week's episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk. In this episode we sit down with museum docent and guest curator Chris Pifer-Foote to discuss her exciting research on Anna Judah. Anna Judah was influential in building the Transcontinental Railroad. She joined her husband Theodore Judah while he hiked, surveyed, and found the route through the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. While his ac...

Join us for this week's episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this episode we sit down with Anthony Dawson to learn about the very early days of railroad. What were these first steam engines like? Why were they built? How did the public respond? And what lasting impact do these trains have on the UK system today? Find out the answers to all of these questions and more! To learn more watch Anthon...

Join us for this week’s episode of Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this podcast we sit down with our long time docent and station master Paul Self to learn about Hospital Trains in the past and the present. These trains have been instrumental throughout history in saving lives both in battle and now for humanitarian causes. 

In this week’s episode we interview James Zimmerman about his new book The Peking Express: The Bandits Who Stole a Train, Stunned the West, and Broke the Republic of China about the Lincheng Outrage. On May 5, 1923 1200 bandits derailed the Peking Express and took 25 hostages from several European countries as well as the United States. This quickly became an international incident that impacted t...

Join us for this week’s edition of Roundhouse Crosstalk! In this week’s episode we interview H. Rodger Grant about his new book The Station Agent and the American Railroad Experience. We highlight the legacy of the Railroad Station Agent, how they rose to leaders in their communities, and how the decline of railroading in the mid-twentieth century impacted these agents. The Station Agent and the A...