# Songs about trains



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I had no idea there were so many. I remember some of
the great pop songs, Chattanooga Choo Choo perhaps best
known, but there's also On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,
Wabash Cannon Ball, City of Miami, Ballad of Casey Jones,
Orange Blossom Special, and of course, I've been working
on the Railroad.

Those are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out this
railroad song list on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_train_songs

That'll sure keep your layout humming.

Don


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

That is a lot, I wonder if there are more?

It would be nice to click on one of those and listen.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

So just look them up on itunes......


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

you want train songs. listen to classic country. that s all they sing about.

trains trucks woman and booze.






i was country before country was cool.


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## wsboyette (Jan 25, 2014)

I love to run mine to "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull, and then there's "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

"I hear the train a comin' it's rollin 'round the bend
And I a'int seen the sunshine since I don't know when...."

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues


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## Doublet74 (Dec 29, 2013)

Ridin on the "City of New Orleans" - Willie Nelson.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

"City of New Orleans" was written by Steve Goodman and recorded by him in 1971. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

rkenney said:


> "City of New Orleans" was written by Steve Goodman and recorded by him in 1971. :smilie_daumenpos:


And the most popular version was done by Arlo Guthrie.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Orange Blossom Special was one of the great songs.

There's a modern day real OBS that runs from Dade City
Florida to the North East on CSX. It is a unit train made
up exclusively of Tropicana product cars. Here's the
Wiki article on it's history. I've seen it often as it
goes through this area on the CSX tracks along side
U.S. 301.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juice_Train

Anybody got the gin?

Don


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## Doublet74 (Dec 29, 2013)

Aware of the above things about "City of New Orleans". I like the W.N. version personally.


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## wsboyette (Jan 25, 2014)

How about the bluegrass song "Mountain Railway" as performed by the Stonemans ?


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## markgrecco (May 27, 2013)

Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian railroad trilogy

excellent song


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

Riding the New River train
Riding the New River train
Same old train that brought me here
Is gonna carry me away again

Been singing this one for many years.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Don't forget buses and dogs. "Thanks God and Greyhound your gone."


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

"Lonesome whistle" Hank Snow, he had a lot of train songs.


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## Fackler Rebel (Oct 26, 2013)

*My favorite*



wsboyette said:


> How about the bluegrass song "Mountain Railway" as performed by the Stonemans ?


Being on of them Jesus boys, it is my favorite.

reb


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## Cprail43 (Jan 1, 2013)

Rock N Roll Train by AC/DC. Great song!


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## Greg903 (Dec 27, 2013)

Hank the 3rd "wreck of the old 97" & 
"H8 line"


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## mustangcobra94 (Apr 28, 2014)

run away train a great eighties hit by soul asylum


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## Conductorjoe (Dec 1, 2011)

Many classics out there. My fav would be"End of the line" 
The Traveling Wilburys
Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, accompanied by drummer Jim Keltner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNhVX7GSw8I

Or most recently Jason Aldean " Night Train"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PLgUlRVLZE


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

DonR said:


> I had no idea there were so many. I remember some of
> the great pop songs, Chattanooga Choo Choo perhaps best
> known, but there's also On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,
> Wabash Cannon Ball, City of Miami, Ballad of Casey Jones,
> ...


Don, if you like the Orange Blossom Special, check this arrangement out. I, personally, haven't heard a better one, not even from Charlie Daniels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtcmVyNXL98

I heard Donnell Leahy and his wife Natalie McMaster last month here in Cleveland, and I noticed that the program described Donnell as arguably the best fiddle player in the world. Even for a local establishment like Cain Park, that's not a claim to be made lightly, and quite frankly, I'm inclined to agree with it.


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## pennalco (Jun 15, 2014)

As a crazy train and guitar player I have over 60 train songs that I sing at clubs, my favorite is "Rock Island Line" followed by "The Golden Rocket"


Cheers 
Dave


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## RedManBlueState (Jan 9, 2013)

Wabash Cannonball.
Folsom Prison Blues.


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## RedManBlueState (Jan 9, 2013)

morrjr said:


> And the most popular version was done by Arlo Guthrie.


I prefer the Johnny Cash version.


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## RedManBlueState (Jan 9, 2013)

Charlie on the MTA :laugh:


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Here's a version that we played on the juke box at our student union when I was in college in 1958. Every time somebody played it we all got up and danced till we couldn't stand up anymore. We loved it. The record was played so many times the juke box man had to replace it three times. It's still my favorite version of the Orange Blossom Special which,as you know, was the train from New York to Florida back in the days of steam. Turn up your volume. The louder the better.Pete
http://youtu.be/30bphImCMJw


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

RedManBlueState said:


> Wabash Cannonball.
> Folsom Prison Blues.


http://youtu.be/aZiQ89_s67Q


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

...and thru the open window she hands Charlie a sandwich....:laugh::laugh:
RedMan, haven't thought about that in years! Thanks!!!! Was that song 
ever played anywhere but Beantown??

Cid


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

norgale said:


> Here's a version that we played on the juke box at our student union when I was in college in 1958. Every time somebody played it we all got up and danced till we couldn't stand up anymore. We loved it. The record was played so many times the juke box man had to replace it three times. It's still my favorite version of the Orange Blossom Special which,as you know, was the train from New York to Florida back in the days of steam. Turn up your volume. The louder the better.Pete
> http://youtu.be/30bphImCMJw


Norgale, I hate to talk down anyone's favorite version, but that version doesn't really grab me like the Leahy version does. I guess you and I just each have our respective favorites.


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Rock Island Line!!!*

The Weavers and The Man in Black's versions of this song are classic... especially Cash with that chick- a- boom chick- a- boom rhythm for the speed of the Train!!:thumbsup:


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## hedgehog (Feb 21, 2014)

grateful dead- casey jones driving that train high on cocane hey there mister watch your speed trouble ahead trouble behind I for got the rest I wonder why


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I just found this today. The illustrations are awesome!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOkYH6sV9lw


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I happened across this today. It is by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. They play everything from classical to hard rock...and a lot of it is humorous.

Orange Blossom Special


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## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

"Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga choo-choo?"

Surprised no one posted it. Great song.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

:appl: :appl: :appl:


DON


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Then there was the song made up after Roy Rogers got his brand new cowboy boots all scratched up by a cougar......wait for it.....

"Pardon me Roy....is that the cat that chewed your new shoes....."


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*Rock Island Line*

Something I've always wondered - is there any historical accuracy to the opening of "Rock Island Line" by Johnny Cash? Was there really a toll booth at a state line on a railroad?


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## janedoedad (Jan 24, 2016)

Midnight Special - Leadbelly (1939) (Many other covers since then)

Train, Train - Blackfoot (1979)


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

RedManBlueState said:


> Charlie on the MTA :laugh:


I used to have that on a 45. 

"Believe". from Polar express.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

There was a website that would give you the name of the #1 song on the day you were born. Mine was "Wabash Cannonball". Don't know if that had anything to do with me liking trains.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

My uncle was a hoghead on Santa Fe and ran between Winslow AZ and Seligman AZ. This was a song sung at his funeral whit all his Santa Fe pals were in attendance.







Life is like a mountain railway,
With an engineer that’s brave;
We must make the run successful,
From the cradle to the grave;
Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels;
Never falter, never fail;
Keep your hands upon the throttle,
And your eyes upon the rail.
Refrain:
Blessed Savior, Thou wilt guide us,
Till we reach that blissful shore,
Where the angels wait to join us
In Thy praise forevermore.
You will roll up grades of trial;
You will cross the bridge of strife;
See that Christ is your conductor
On this lightning train of life;
Always mindful of obstruction,
Do your duty, never fail;
Keep your hands upon the throttle,
And your eyes upon the rail.
You will often find obstructions,
Look for storms and wind and rain;
On a fill, or curve, or trestle
They will almost ditch your train;
Put your trust alone in Jesus,
Never falter, never fail;
Keep your hands upon the throttle,
And your eyes upon the rail.
As you roll across the trestle,
Spanning Jordan’s swelling tide,
You behold the Union Depot
Into which your train will glide;
There you’ll meet the Sup’rintendent,
God the Father, God the Son,
With the hearty, joyous plaudit,
“Weary Pilgrim, welcome home.”

The origin of this song is murky. Eliza R. Snow may have written the original lyrics, with M. E. Abbey (a Baptist minister in Georgia in the 1890s) supplying the chorus. There is a similar poem/hymn by Snow, called “Truth Reflects upon Our Senses,” which Tillman put to this same tune in 1909.:appl::appl:


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## A&NRR (Aug 2, 2015)

Chuck Berry's and later Bob Seger did, 'Let it Rock". Chuck Berry also did "Downbound Train", which was kind of eerie.
I remember Johnny Cash did Christmas commercials for Lionel trains. When I was a boy in the early 70's Cash did an after school special all about trains.


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## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

You just reminded me of another song. I changed one word in "Downbound Train" to 
"Downtown Train" by Rod Stewart.

And apologies to DonR. I had said that no one mentioned "Chattanooga Choo Choo".
I just caught it that you did. Kudos to you.

And also kudos to Hobo for that number one pop hit, "The Cat that Chewed his new Shoes".

Memory hit me just now. When I was a kid, my mom bought me a small record made for kids, maybe 5 inches in diameter.
It was Arthur Godfrey singing, "I've Been Working on the Railroad".
Wish I still had that.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Favorite train song*



DonR said:


> I had no idea there were so many. I remember some of
> the great pop songs, Chattanooga Choo Choo perhaps best
> known, but there's also On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,
> Wabash Cannon Ball, City of Miami, Ballad of Casey Jones,
> ...


Don;

I just scanned through parts of the long list. I may well have missed it, but I didn't see my favorite train song, "Riding on the city of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## A&NRR (Aug 2, 2015)

Bob Seger did Downtown train, although I think Rod Stewarts was better. If ya'll seen Rod Stewarts layout in Model Railroader it was in a couple of issues that I know of. He has the grim reaper on the rooftop of a building looking down to the street below. Don't know if anyone else caught it. It's refreshing to find little hidden off the wall scenes inside of the big scene, I think.


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## A&NRR (Aug 2, 2015)

I just remembered Bob Seger did "Long Twin Silver Lines". Modern day ballad about a train.


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## James (Nov 3, 2015)

Saxon - "Princess of the Night"

She used to be an ironhorse
Twenty years ago
Used to bring the mail to me
Through the ice and snow
I've sat alone and watched her
Steaming through the night
Ninety tons of thunder
Lighting up the sky

She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky

Speeding, sparks like lightning
Engine working hard
Furnace on the foot plate
Shining in the night
Iron striking metal
The sound of racing steel
It's all I ever wanna hear
It's music to my ears

She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky

She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky

Ninety tons of thunder
Lighting up the sky
Steaming red hot pistons
See the wheels flash by
Hear the whistle blowing
Streaking down the track
If I ever had my way
I'd bring the princess back one day

She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
(sky, sky, sky)


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## gimme30 (Jul 26, 2018)

Zombie thread revival!






Harmonica @ 2:00 proves nobody can do it like Popper.....

And for your carnage fix:


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

My emotional moment of the day, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson...
Thanks for waking this up, gimme30!


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