I am looking for lyrics to a railroad work song of the mid 19th century. I only know one verse, which was on an old children's record from the 1950's. It's clearly a real work song, like many sea chanties, with a solo voice singing the verse and the men grunting in response & in rhythm as they pushed the rails into place. The one verse goes like this:

Oh, when you lay the rails, boys,
*Wuh!*
The shiny silver rails boys,
*Wuh!*
Oh, when you lay the rails, boys,
*Wuh!*
Down on the ground,
*Wuh!*
Soon the train'll ride through,
*Wuh!*
Big and black and shiny,
*Wuh!*
Oh, when you lay the rails, boys,
*Wuh!*
The shiny silver rails.
*Wuh!*

It has a great tune, too, which I will suggest for adding to the DT if I can get some more lyrics -- or maybe even if I can't!