Much speculation has come from people with "impeccable credentials."
First, let me say that I inherently distrust material that has no antecedents. "Follow de Drinkin' Gou'd" is unknown before the collection of a fragment in 1912 that had no real relationship to escaping. I tend to agree with the thoughts of McGrath (thread 17760, 01 Oct 01 0703AM). Also see posts by Masato Sakurai and other posts giving more information in the same thread.
Moreover, any slave not familiar with the North Star must have been exceedingly stupid, as I have written before in one of these threads.
The collection of the song "from an old Negro" in College Station, Texas (site of Texas A & M College, a large university of the State system) seems suspicious. Anyone following the North Star from that area would have ended up in Indian Territory. As I have also suggsted before, directions on the "railway" would be passed by word of mouth or through directions scratched in the soil that could be erased after their comprehension. They would be more specific than anything in these nebulous songs. During the period of the underground railway, most directions were to the next "station" where further instructions would be received.
I want to reread Dobie's comments in his book, and may add more later when I find my copy.

Can I cite sources that back up my statement? Only to the point that interviews and writings of former slaves tell a different story- namely, the careful transmission of specific information. Do you have anything in the 19th century writings that support your views? Everything I have seen is anecdotal and 50 years or more after the fact.