Personally, I admit to being rather obsessed with railroad songs. I was rather startled recently to discover that one of my close musical colleagues, who is a teacher and very much interested in history, had no idea that Casey Jones was a real person. So were George Alley (Engine 143) and "Steve" Brody (Ol' 97). But yes, I can believe that survey. And we have to put up with hearing that not only did these people never exist, but that the songs about them are "irrelevant." Right. Heroism is irrelevant. Maybe where they come from.

CC