Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Delaware (sail/train wreck)

Subject: Lyr Add: BEWARE LAUREL DELAWARE (sail/train wreck
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Nov 12 - 04:02 PM

This time I'm prefacing my new song with the actual story:

"It is a rare occurrence when a ship and a train collide, but it happened on June 20, 1904, in Laurel, Delaware, when the Delaware Railroad's Norfolk Express went through an open draw and plunged down into the river just as the schooner Golden Gate was passing under the open draw-bridge. The crew of the vessel jumped into the river and swam ashore. The engineer of the train lost his life in the accident, but no one else was injured. The baggage master turned out to be the hero of the day when he crawled under the moving train to uncouple the cars with the passengers aboard. The schooner was a total loss, but the engine was recovered and repaired."

From Shipwrecks Along the Atlantic Coast, William P. Quinn, Commonwealth Editions, Beverly, Massachusetts, © 1988/2004, p. 41

By Charles Ipcar, 11/10/12
Tune: inspired by "Casey Jones"

BEWARE LAUREL DELAWARE

Chorus:

Now the Norfolk Express is the train to ride,
Just climb on board, 'long the rails you'll glide,
But beware, my friends, Laurel, Delaware,
Or you'll end up in deep despair!

Way back when, nineteen and four,
Down the tracks a train did roar;
Her whistle blew as she flew by,
And thick black smoke, well, it filled the sky. (CHO)

She steamed out of Dover, a-heading South,
To Salisbury Town, with a bone in her mouth;
She rolled into Seaford and roared on past,
And the Laurel Station was a-coming up fast. (CHO)

Now Laurel's a town nestled below a ridge,
And the boats cruise through the Broad Creek Bridge;
As the Norfolk Express steamed into view,
The schooner Golden Gate was a-coming through. (CHO)

That bridge was open as the train drew neigh
And all aboard seemed doomed to die;
The Golden Gate's crew had no time to deplore;
They jumped in the Creek and swum for shore. (CHO)

That train took off like a flying bird,
Flew halfway around the world;
Landed on the schooner with an awful crash,
And the water flew up in a great big splash! (CHO)

But the passengers were saved from a fate bizarre
When the baggage-man uncoupled their car;
But the engineer died that day,
And for his soul we all should pray. (CHO)

There's a Golden Gate in Heaven they say,
But now there's another at the bottom of the bay;
And the Norfolk Express lies in the slime;
She'll never make Salisbury Town on time! (CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Nov 12 - 07:47 PM

Facebook members get to admire an actual photo of this schooner/train wreck: click here for PIX!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: BEWARE LAUREL DELAWARE
From: Charley Noble
Date: 11 Nov 12 - 12:24 PM

Here's some revision and some chords (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

By Charles Ipcar, 11/10/12
Tune: inspired by "Casey Jones"
Key: G (2/F)

BEWARE LAUREL DELAWARE

G--------------------------------------------
Now way back when, nine-teen and four,
-----------------------A---------D7
Down the tracks a train did roar;
------G-----------------------------
Her whistle blew as she flew by,
--------------------------------------D---------G
And thick black smoke, well, it filled the sky.

Chorus:

G---------------------------------C--------G
The Norfolk Express, it's the train to ride,
--------------------------------D-------------D7
Climb on board, 'long the rails you'll glide,
---------G-----------------------------C----G
But be-ware, my friends, Laurel, Dela-ware,
--------------------C---G----D--G
Or you'll end up in deep des-pair!

She steamed out of Dover, a-heading South,
To Salisbury Town, with a bone in her mouth;
She rolled into Seaford and roared on past,
And Laurel Station was a-coming up fast. (CHO)

Now Laurel's a town below the ridge,
And the boats cruise through the Broad Creek Bridge;
As the Norfolk Express steamed into view,
The Golden Gate was a-coming through. (CHO)

That bridge was open as the train drew neigh
And all aboard seemed doomed to die;
The schooner's crew had no time to deplore;
They jumped in the Creek and swum for the shore. (CHO)

That train took off like a flying bird,
Flew halfway around the world;
Landed on the deck with an awful crash,
And the water flew up in a great big splash! (CHO)

But the passengers were saved from a fate bizarre
When the baggage-man uncoupled their car;
But a brave engineer died that day,
And for his soul we all should pray. (CHO)

There's a Golden Gate in Heaven they say,
But now there's another at the bottom of the bay;
And the Norfolk Express she lies in the slime;
She'll never make Salisbury Town on time! (CHO)

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 11 Nov 12 - 02:01 PM

I look forward to hearing an MP3 sample or, better yet, a rendition at Mystic!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Nov 12 - 02:05 PM

Here's some additional notes on this incident:

The photographer's name is A. H. Waller. In 1904 this rail line was known as the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington and was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. It was previously known as the Delaware Railroad. See pages 134 and 135 in Rails along the Chesapeake for two other photos of this accident; this is a very expensive book to purchase on the used book market.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: open mike
Date: 12 Nov 12 - 03:58 PM

As a compliment, there was an accident this year during the hurricane. A boat was washed onto the tracks at Metro-North's Ossining Station on the Hudson Line in New York. Perhaps this could be the subject of an additional verse:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/8138561876/ I suspected that it migh tlead to invention of a new type of amphibious transportation able to travel on rails...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Nov 12 - 10:00 PM

I do have some interesting graphics of sail-driven land cruiser from the 19th century. Some were designed to sail on rail lines.

There's a world of possibilities!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 10:58 AM

Well, the tune has morphed from "Casey Jones" to "The Tennessee Stud" with a few more wording changes, and a title change (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

By Charles Ipcar, 11/10/12
Tune: inspired by "The Tennessee Stud"

The Wreck of the Norfolk Express

Am-----------------------C----Am
Now way back when, nineteen and four,
G--------------------------
Down the tracks a train did roar;
-----Am-------------G--Am
Her whistle blew as she flew by,
----C---------Am---------G-------Am
And thick black smoke, well, it filled the sky;
----------------------------C--Am
She steamed out of Dover, head-ing South,
----G--------------------------------
To Salisbury Town, with a bone in her mouth;
----Am-----------------------C-Am
She rolled into Seaford and roared on past,
----C-----Am--------G-------Am
And Laurel Station was coming up fast.

Chorus:

Am------------------------C-----Am
The Norfolk Express, she's the train to ride,
G---------------------------------
Climb on board, 'long the rails you'll glide,
-------Am-----------------C----Am
But be-ware, take care, Laurel, Dela-ware,
--------------G--C---G--Am
Or you'll end up in deep des-pair!

Now Laurel's a town below the ridge,
And boats cruise through the Broad Creek Bridge;
As the Norfolk Express steamed into view,
The Golden Gate was coming through;
That bridge was open as the train drew neigh
And all aboard seemed doomed to die;
The schooner's crew had no time to deplore;
They jumped in the Creek and swum for the shore. (CHO)

That train took off like a flying squirrel,
Flew halfway around the world;
Landed on the deck with an awful crash,
And the water rose up in a great big splash!
The passengers were saved from a fate bizarre
When the baggage-man uncoupled their car;
But a brave engineer died that day,
And for his soul we all should pray. (CHO)

There's a Golden Gate in Heaven they say,
But now there's another at the bottom of the bay;
And the Norfolk Express she lies in the slime;
She'll never make Salisbury Town on time!
She'll never make Salisbury Town, on time!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 11:16 AM

Good piece of writing, Charley. Well done.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 02:12 PM

Thanks, 999!

Some day I hope to sing this in Laurel, Delaware! Does anyone know if the Norfolk Express is still operational? I can still see the rail bridge via Google Earth.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: open mike
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 04:03 PM

maybe Severn could have you over to sing it in Laurel, MD!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Deleware (sail/train wreck)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 05:32 PM

I wonder if they still commemorate this train/schooner wreck in Laurel every year?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Delaware (sail/train wreck)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Feb 13 - 11:06 AM

I've finally recorded this one and it's up on my website with a MP3 sample: click here for lyrics and MP3 Sample!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Beware Laurel Delaware (sail/train wreck)
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 11 Feb 13 - 08:03 PM

Good work, Charley!