In 1925 an orphan train screeches to a stop at a small western Wisconsin depot, where young Charlie is separated from the only person he knows, his twin sister Lynnie. Terrified and lonely, he reaches out to the only other familiar face, the rebellious teen, Schmidty. Surprising even himself, Schmidty takes Charlie under his wing as the two orphans journey into unfamiliar territory. But as the pair forges a brotherly bond, circumstances thrust Charlie into isolation once more. The years rumble forward like the wheels of a locomotive, and by 1934, the details of Charlie's early days have slipped from his memory. Now a young teen living a comfortable life with adoptive parents in Marshfield, Wisconsin, Charlie finds his nights haunted by dreams of that fateful train ride, and begins to explore the mystery of his roots. As he searches for his history, the answers to his questions rush toward Charlie in a collision course, bringing revealed identities, unexpected reunions, and terrible danger.