Interview with Stanley A. Changnon

Dr. Stanley A. Changnon wrote one of Mayhaven's first books, America's Rural Hub, Railroading in Central Illinois in the late 20th Century. He has since published two other books on railroading that Mayhaven includes in our catalog. A world traveler, he lives in the heart of Illinois with his wife, Joyce.

Did you grown up in Illinois?

Yes.

When did you become interested in trains?

When I was four years old.

When did you decide to write about trains?

When I retired from my job as Chief of the Illinois Water Survey.

Don't you collect artifacts associated with trains?

Yes.

You have an interest in them, but have you written about miniature trains?

No, only real, lifesize trains.

America's Rural Hub...was the fourth book Mayhaven published. It was full of your wonderful photos, and frankly, I was intimidated a bit by the job. You covered a lot of ground. How in the world did you decide what to include?

I had written about many scientific issues, and I tried to include past, present, and future issues. With degrees in Geography from the Uof I, this training helped immensely in deciding the dimensions to include.

Do you have any secrets about organizing the material you would care to share?

None.

Hadn't you published academic articles and books before writing America's Rural Hub...?

Yes—over 400 scientific papers and 8 science books.

How was writing America's Rural Hub...and the other train books different?

It was a different topic, my hobby, and more fun!

What advice would you give the unpublished nonfiction writer?

Do extensive research about your topic.