Barry Sanford is no stranger to the Kettle Valley Railway. His previous book McCulloch's Wonder, has gone through four printings and continues to be one of the best-selling books dealing with the history of a Canadian Railway. He has written widely on other railway and technical subjects. His book The Pictorial History of Railroading in British Columbia was one of ten finalists selected for the prestigious Eaton's Book Award in 1981. He has also written for Trains and other national or international magazines.

Barry holds a Civil Engineering degree from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University. His career path has been in passenger transportation where he has been involved with the management of urban and rural bus systems and transportation for the handicapped.