The Rock

The setting for this story is in a pair of fictional villages, located somewhere in Montana. These villages, Table Mountain Village and Cedar Valley, are modeled in the HO gauge train layout pictured above. Many of the events described in the story were inspired by the features, equipment and characteristics of the layout, and choreographed by the young people shown above: Stephen Lemley (left), Timothy Lemley, Matthew Lemley, Tiffany Stephens and her little sister, Jade. Many thanks to Matthew, Tim, Stephen and Tiffany, who helped to inspire and proof read THE ROCK, and to the boys' GRANDMOTHER, Mrs Thomas Lemley and my aunt, Ardath Gatten who helped to proof read and edit the book. The Canadian action takes place in actual towns located in an area that looked interesting, was near a railroad, and within a mining region. The Empire Builder featured in this story was originally operated by Great Northern Railway, primarily on its own routes and is now operated by Amtrak on BNSF routes.