Lyr. Add: THE LITTLE RED CABOOSE
John Lair, 1935

1. Bill Jackson was a brakeman on number Fifty-one,
A member of a bold and daring crew;
An old hard-working railroad boy, but full of life and fun,
A finer, braver lad you never knew.
His train pulled out of Corbin one wild December night,
Outside was ice and snow and sleet and rain;
The boys were gathered 'round the stove where all was warm and bright
In the little red caboose behind the train.

Chorus: Then say a prayer for railroad men when they're out on the run,
Through the chilly winds and driving rain;
When they're called out you never know how soon they'll come back home
In the little red caboose behind the train.

2. Dad Mendenhall was pulling old Fifty-one that night,
An old-time engineer with nerve and skill;
He kept his fireman bending down and everything went right,
Until he lost his brakes on Crooked Hill.
Rolling down the mountain they heard his whistle scream-
And what an awful sound that whistle makes!
The old conductor said to them, "Boys, you know what that means;
We've got to scramble out and set the brakes!"

3. The running-boards were covered with snow and ice and sleet,
Bill was the first to hit them, on the run
The train was flying round a curve and threw him off his feet
And there before their eyes the deed was done.
They saw him sliding over that rocking boxcar rim,
They saw him when he took that fatal drop;
They clubbed those brakes and tied them down and said a prayer for him
As Fifty-one came jolting to a stop.

4. They backed the train and took him into the old caboose,
The boys then gathered round him one and all;
To do the best they could for him, but saw it was no use,
For poor old Bill had got his final call.
They took him on to Stanford, a message sent ahead,
Filled a poor old mother's heart with pain;
It told her that her only boy was coming to her, dead,
In the little red caboose behind the train.

From Norm Cohen, "Long Steel Rail," pp. 261-263. Originally published in 100 WLS Barn Dance Favorites," 1935, M. M. Cole, Chicago, pp. 22-23. Copyright 1935 renewed 1963. Perhaps based on a true event: In the 1930's the L&N Railroad did have a train No. 51 that left Corbin, KY, southbound for Atlanta.