From The Railroad Trainman, Vol. 39, No. 6 (Cleveland, OH: Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, June, 1922), page 379:


THE LITTLE RED CABOOSE BEHIND THE TRAIN

I am a happy railroad boy, and braking is my trade.
I run upon the road each day and night,
Turning switches, making fly stops, as along the road we go,
And I see that all the train is made up right.
Oh, yes, we always are on hand, when called upon to go,
Whether in the sunshine, or the rain,
And a jolly crew you'll always find if you will come and see,
In that little Red Caboose behind the Train.

CHORUS: Now here's success to all the boys that ride upon the cars.
In happiness may they always remain;
And the Angels will watch over us when we lie down to sleep
In the Little Red Caboose behind the train.

2. One red light we hang out on each side and another one behind,
As day goes by and night comes stealing on,
And the boy that rides ahead, you bet, keeps it in his mind
And he sees that all the train is coming on;
But as you near a station, you're startled from your thoughts
At the sound of the whistles' thrilling scream.
We skip, out on the hurricane, and leave our cares behind
In that Little Red Caboose behind the train.

3. Now that little car I speak of is precious and more dear
Than all the coaches on the railway line,
And the reason why I'll tell you, is because it is our home,
And we try to keep it in the neatest style.
Although we have no fashion lights, nor velvet cushion seats,
And everything in sight seems all so plain,
Yet there are many honest hearts that beat beneath that rusty roof,
In that little Red Caboose behind the train.

4. Now when you get stuck in the snow, you start out with a flag,
Sixteen telegraph poles farther back you go,
And while you there are waiting, to keep yourself warm,
You will dance an Irish jig there in the snow.
As we are on the road both east and west, in fair weather or foul,
Whether in the sunshine or the rain,
And the leisure moments that we have, we spend down there below,
In that little Red Caboose behind the train.