Railroads and Music

Since railroading's earliest times, the sounds of trains have been a source of musical inspiration.

	Railroad Music by Award-Winning Songwriter James Coffey: Mr. Coffey has written many train songs and has recorded several CDs. Listen to some great samples: Down at the Station.mp3 Stop, Look and Listen.mp3 Be Safe.mp3 Come Ride with Me.mp3 These songs and presentation materials are copyrighted 2004. They may be reused only by permission of James Coffey or Blue Vision Music. For further information, click here.
	Folk Music by Andrew Roblin: The Philadelphia Folk Song Society has featured Andrew Roblin for nine consecutive years. In 1997, Roblin, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, earned the rank of number one Canadian musician, getting more radio airplay for his songs than well-known Canadian artists like Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot. Listen to one of his bluegrass songs: Freight Train Boogie.mp3 His CD "Perilous Pursuit" is available here.
	Rich Pawling's History Alive: In recreating scenes from America's early mines, canals, and railroads, Rich Pawling has kept alive the folk sounds and ideas of our early days of development when the industrial revolution was emerging. Listen to several of his songs from his CD "Hammered in Iron - Railroad Songs and Stories." Johnstown Flood.mp3  (This 1889 flood badly damaged Johnstown, PA and a number of Pennsylvania Railroad facilities.) Wreck of the 97.mp3     Wabash Canonball.mp3 Visit his site for information about his presentations and CDs.

Other Resources

Here are several midi renditions of traditional railroad-related tunes, made available courtesy of Parlor Songs.com, which has more at their fine site:

• I've Been Workin' on the Railroad is an all-time favorite. See their discussion of the history of the song.
• When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam' by Irving Berlin, 1912.
• The Pullman Porters on Parade, by Maurice Abrahams, 1913. Further discussion.

Gordon Lightfoot, Canada's Folk Laureate, was commissioned by the CBC to write and perform The Canadian Railroad Trilogy for a New Year's Day program celebrating Canada's Centennial in 1967. This is the original presentation from the CBC archives.

For an extensive review and anthology of railroad music, see Music and Railways.

From the Library of Congress:   Railroad Songs and Ballads CD. Recorded by 16 different collectors between 1936 and 1959. Other similar items available.

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