Thanks, Bobert. PM sent. I know what you mean about those train jumping days. In Indiana, where I spent a great deal of time growing up, that is a viable source of entertainment to this very day. Sad thing is that in the 3 generations of my family that have been in the US, at least one person in each generation has been maimed by a train. Never killed, but mauled for sure (pinned femurs, missing arms). Something to be feared, but loved all the same.

Mrrzy, I dunno about the wreck/hobo thing, that is kind of what I'm trying to figure out too. I guess that "new River Train" is a riding song, but not necessarily a bad one. I also wonder how much of the technology you were talking about plays a part in the songs. Was the US such a large place to tackle (yeah, manifest destiny!) that horses/boats weren't the way to do it, but also that trains were so slow that a person could spend a lot of time riding one and coming up with songs because there wasn't much else to do?

Mark, beautiful video. We have a passenger train out here that runs around the park at Mount Rainier...I'll look for a link...gorgeous scenery, and the trains are lovely.

Thanks also, Greg. That was kind of what I had figured, without the juice to back it up. I've ridden trains in the UK, France and Italy, but had never heard any folk songs. Mrrzy brought up the children's songs, do you also find them lacking as well? Anything along the lines of the "Little Red Caboose" songs or somesuch?

Erik, if you can remember that CD, give a holler, okay?

When I'm old and grey and settle down
If I ever get the chance to sneak away from town
I'll spend my busman's holiday
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Sante Fe

~JE