About Larry Toerber
Larry G. Toerber is an author, historian, and nationally respected authority on railroad ground transportation, public safety, and signal systems. With over 45 years of distinguished service in the transportation industry, Larry’s career began on the tracks as a Gandy dancer and signalman with the Milwaukee Railroad and rose to senior roles with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration.
A seasoned technical expert in Positive Train Control (PTC), signal systems integration, grade crossing safety, and systems engineering, Larry has led national safety initiatives, trained professionals across disciplines, and advised both Class I and short line railroads. His work—bridging public and private partnerships—quietly shaped infrastructure, safety standards, and urban development across the country. Quietly… but not always! As a federal investigator during key periods of rail R&D, Larry often worked behind the scenes, restricted from press interviews or public commentary, even as his decisions directly influenced policy, public safety, and enterprise zones.
Beyond his technical career, Larry is a gifted storyteller and accomplished author. His acclaimed trilogy You’re Different South of the Tracks—which includes Gandy, Railroad Signal Sage, and the forthcoming Privileged—blends personal memoir with cultural history, chronicling the brotherhood, grit, and humor of life on the rails. Privileged, the trilogy’s final volume, provides a rare insider look at federally funded research and NASA-supported transportation innovation at the U.S. Government’s Transportation Test Center.
As Larry’s family grew, he shared his vivid, colorful stories—affectionately dubbed “Toerberized” tales—with not only the rail community, but with his wife Zelma and their three children: Jody, Heather, and Scott. These stories captured more than just locomotives and circuits; they carried the soul of a changing America, the weight of responsibility, and the joy of blue-collar resilience. His writing offers readers a rare glimpse into the often unseen impact of rail professionals whose quiet work powered much of the nation’s progress.
In Exercise Tiger: The Silent D-Day Link of World War II, Larry turns his historian’s lens to a buried military tragedy. Driven by the loss of his uncle Mearl and over a decade of research, the book uncovers a disastrous D-Day rehearsal long hidden by government secrecy—bringing long-overdue truth and honor to families left in silence.
Larry’s lighter side emerges in Senior (55 & Over) Golf Etiquette, a humorous take on the game’s unwritten rules that reflects his trademark wit and appreciation for life’s simpler joys.
Whether consulting, training, or writing, Larry Toerber delivers with integrity, insight, and heart. His work honors the stories of unsung workers, the history of American infrastructure, and the personal bonds that make every rail and road meaningful.
Speaking Engagements
Larry is an engaging and versatile speaker who brings decades of railroad expertise, historical research, and storytelling to audiences across the country. Drawing from his books, career experiences, and years of research, he delivers presentations that combine humor, history, and heartfelt insight—captivating listeners whether discussing the behind-the-scenes story of one of his works, exploring untold chapters of American history, or sharing the realities of life on the rails.
He is available for a range of events, including keynote presentations, library talks, book readings, and signings. Each engagement is tailored to the audience, whether speaking at libraries, American Legion posts, community centers, book clubs, reading groups, schools, universities, or writer’s groups.
Larry’s speaking topics often include an in-depth look at the journey behind one of his books—shaped to match the interests of the group hosting him—as well as a practical lecture on how to turn an idea into a published work, offering valuable guidance for aspiring authors and storytellers.
Speaking fees are $300 for local events within 100 miles, and $600 plus lodging for U.S. regional engagements outside the local area.
Mr. Toerber’s presentations offer a rare combination of technical expertise, historical depth, and personal storytelling—making him a sought-after speaker for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
$20.00 + S&H $10.00
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You're Different South of the Tracks, Gandy
"You're Different South of the Tracks, Gandy" Blends Ground Transportation History with Mischief, Grit, and Self-Discovery. Writing history can be especially hard. There are many unpleasant things that happened in the past that helped mold the progressive character of the author.
Author Larry Toerber released “You're Different South of the Tracks, Gandy”, the compelling first installment in a coming-of-age trilogy that weaves together the author’s vivid personal journey with the pulse of American railroad history. Set amid the clanging rhythm of the Milwaukee Railroad. The book invites readers to walk the tracks—both literal and metaphorical—of a young “Gandy,” a slang term for track laborer, as he begins a lifelong journey of character-building, rebellion, and reflection.
Told through the lens of Toerber’s early days residing in “Cooksville” of Oxford Junction, Iowa, south of the tracks working on the Milwaukee Railroad. Gandy offers more than a spirited memoir, it’s a mix of transportation history, youthful antics, blue-collar grit, and the shaping of a curious and often mischievous mind. The book traces a young man’s path from rail-yard grunt to a voice with historical insight and educational clarity, giving readers a rare look at the lives lived between steel rails and the paralleling ground transportation through the dusty towns that grew up around them.
"This isn’t just about trains," says Toerber. "It’s about motion—of people, culture, identity—and what it means to come of age in the shadows labor intensive hardships, all locomotives of legends."
As the first book in a trilogy, You're Different South of the Tracks, Gandy lays the foundation for an evolving narrative personal yet panoramic biography that explores the intersections of railroads, rural America, mentorship, government service, and the restless search for belonging.
Key Themes:
- The historical role of the Milwaukee Railroad in shaping the American West
- The culture and lingo of the Gandy dancer brotherhood
- Personal growth forged through hardship, humor, and curiosity
- The clash between authority and individuality in blue-collar America
- A backdrop of mischievous adventure and lifelong lessons
Perfect for:
Fans of historical nonfiction, railroad enthusiasts, memoir lovers, and readers who enjoy colorful tales of American resilience.
$25.00 + S&H $10.00
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You're Different South of the Tracks, Railroad Signal Sage
"You're Different South of the Tracks, Railroad Signal Sage" Showcases the Culture of Railroading as a Way of Life — Not Just a Job
Author Larry Toerber announces the release of You're Different South of the Tracks, Railroad Signal Sage, the eagerly anticipated second volume in his evocative trilogy chronicling the life of a railroader and the American transportation landscape. Picking up where Book One left off, this volume offers a deeper dive into railroading not merely as employment—but as a culture, a calling, and a way of life that gets into your DNA.
From a Gandy to Railroad Signal Sage, Toerber’s transformation reflects the universal arc of personal growth. In this installment, the author steps into new boots: a mobile signalman navigating the demands of fieldwork while balancing the realities of a young family. Readers are treated to tales from the rails told with equal parts humor, mischievousness, honesty, and historical richness.
"Railroading isn't something you leave behind at the end of the shift," Toerber reflects. "It rides with you—etched in calluses, lingo, and the hum of circuits in your bones."
Through the lens of a Lead Signal Maintainer, Toerber brings life to the unsung world of signal work—decoding the intricate choreography of electronics, trackside logic, and sheer human resilience. Slang terms and analogies light up the page like signal lamps against twilight, while the ever-rumbling metaphor of a freight train charges forward through evolving decades.
Highlights include:
- The culture of railroad brotherhood: tight crews, road meals, dreadful bunk cars, silver bullet trailers, and pride in laborious hard work
- Vivid technical storytelling of signal systems, circuits, and rail safety infrastructure
- Slang and analogies from the signalman’s world that bring authenticity to the reader
- Reflections on family, mobility, and manhood within a demanding lifestyle
- Anecdotes that balance mischief, learning curves, and leadership earned in the field
Who It's For:
- Railroaders and transportation workers
- Fans of memoirs rooted in trade, grit, and Americana
- Historians of 20th-century rail culture and infrastructure
- Readers who enjoy blue-collar storytelling with heart and intellect
Privileged (2026)
In the trilogy’s climactic final installment, You're Different South of the Tracks, Privileged, Toerber steps into the national arena. Building on decades of field experience, he becomes a Federal Investigator for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration, focusing on accident and incident analysis, regulatory enforcement, and high-speed rail research and development.
This book highlights the profound privilege of serving in a role where decisions impact safety, innovation, and public trust. Through collaborations in public-private partnerships, high-profile investigations, and cutting-edge rail science, Toerber shares what few ever see—how deep knowledge, forged on the ballast of real track, can shape the nation’s transportation future.
Whether recounting a complex derailment, mentoring a new inspector, or testifying with conviction, Privileged is a tribute to the legacy of those who care deeply for the rails—and the people who run them. And yes, it’s all told with plenty of "Toerberized" tales—short stories that may not always be short, but are always worth the ride.
Why This Trilogy Matters
This is more than memoir. It’s a layered historical biography through the lens of one man’s life—from boots-on-the-ballast to federal regulation. It’s railroading as a life, a legacy, and a culture worth preserving. And for Toerber, the journey hasn’t ended. “A day doesn’t go by,” he says, “without someone asking for a story, a regulation reference, or a bit of rail wisdom.”
$20.00 + S&H $10.00
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Exercise Tiger: The Silent D-Day Link of World War II
"Exercise Tiger: The Silent D-Day Link of World War II" Exposes One of the U.S. Military’s Most Tragic—and Hidden—Disasters
In Exercise Tiger The Silent D-Day “Link” of World War II, author Larry Toerber conducted eleven exhausting years researching the disastrous secret ops activity. His book lifts the long-camouflaged veil on a heartbreaking chapter of American history—one that cost the lives of at least 749 U.S. soldiers in a secret Allied D-Day rehearsal that was deliberately buried by Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower in the name of national security.
Set against the somber backdrop of a rural Iowa farm family, the book traces the emotional and generational fallout from the loss of Mearl Toerber, the author’s uncle, who perished during Exercise Tiger—a top-secret amphibious landing exercise off the coast of Slapton Sands, England, on April 28, 1944. His family was told he was “Missing in Action” in the Italian theater—never knowing the truth.
"My parents and grandparents went to their graves not knowing what really happened," Toerber writes. "This book is a tribute—not just to Mearl, but to the hundreds of families who were denied closure for the sake of secrecy."
Through firsthand family insight and extensive research, the book brings readers into the fields and kitchens of Eastern Iowa, where telegrams arrived and silence settled. The story walks beside those who mourned a son, a brother, a husband, uncle, never knowing the full truth that unfolded across the Atlantic. It is a personal journey, a historical reckoning, and a patriotic obligation.
To this day, over 75 years later, there is speculation the government deliberately falsified information forwarded to the “next-of-kin”.
Larry’s book has received National acclaim receiving the 2023 Journalism Award from The National Exercise Tiger Association as well as the Civilian Commendation Medal Award.
Larry donated a copy of the book in Mearl’s memory to the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.
🪖 Key Themes:
- The secret rehearsal for D-Day that went tragically wrong
- How German E-boats ambushed unprotected U.S. LSTs during a live-fire exercise
- The military cover-up led by Eisenhower, keeping families and the public in the dark
- One Iowa family’s intimate experience with grief and unanswered questions
- A soldier’s ultimate sacrifice erased from the official story—until now
📘 Who Should Read This:
- World War II historians and enthusiasts
- Families of veterans and missing soldiers
- Readers of military nonfiction and untold stories
- Anyone seeking truth, accountability, and emotional healing through history
$5 + S&H $3.00
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Golf Rules Pamphlet Tees Off: Senior (55 & Over) Golf Etiquette Offers a Fresh Spin on the Game
Lifelong golfer Larry Toerber brings humor and hard-earned words-of-wisdom to the course with his new 13-page pamphlet, Senior (55 & Over) Golf Etiquette. This isn't your typical USGA rulebook. It is packed with witty "Toerberisms" and tongue-in-cheek adjudications, a playful yet pointed guide for golfers 55 and over who may lean into their curmudgeonly (male bitching) side.
Designed for casual reading and shared laughs at the 19th hole, Senior Golf Etiquette fills in the unwritten rules of golf that the USGA left behind—like how to deal with slow foursomes, wandering carts, and unsolicited swing advice.
Whether you're a seasoned senior golfer or new to the game, Toerber’s etiquette guide is sure to strike a chord—and maybe even improve your round.