"Reuben" is the way it is spelt on the 1880 census. He died 18th March 1923.

Wayne Ledford the youngest of the 13 (twelve of whom were musicians)children of Amos Wetsel "Waites" Ledford and wife Melissa, implied that "Waites" was on the 1932 Carolina String Band recordings along with sons Stephen Walter "Steve" and John Taft and possibly George L.

During our conversations I don't recall Wayne mentioning "Reuben's Train" as belonging to the family but there were others that he claimed were "Sugar Tree Stump" for example and were sometimes recorded and claimed by other artists. Wayne and his uncle Oscar "Red" Wilson were very knowledgeable about the family recordings.

Re Steve and Wayne's version of Train 45 on youtube see "Steve Ledford & the Hall Brothers"

If you want to see Steve check out Whitetop Music's youtube channel.
If you want to hear their uncle "Red" Wilson there are several audio clips with still photographs on the following channel Backup6Box. There is also an hour long film of him with Bruce Greene.

I am pretty sure the the Ledfords in Kentucky were not related to those around Bakersville N.C. Neither was banjo player and store keeper Berl Ledford who lived close to Wayne in Glen Ayre.