This is a long video taken at a European model meet, of narrow gauge industrial trains and trams. Interesting models, but its main appeal to me was use of the song "Freight Train", done acoustically by (I think) Mississippi John Hurt, as background. Takes 2-4 minutes to load on Road Runner.

http://movies06.archive.org/3/movies/ra ... 00-med.mov

That is Jerry Garcia.

JAC

Indeed, that is Jerry Garcia & David Grisman doing "Freight Train." It was just on a Starbucks compilation, but can also befound on thier CD "Not For Kids Only" from 1993.

My son is a toddling train nut and I just bought him that CD along with the latest Dan Zanes disc. Both feature "adult folk" music suitable for kids. Especially kids who are toddling train nuts.

Rob

PS: I am doing my best to give my son a musical pedigree. His first clapping-along-at-a-concert was to John Prine. He saw Dylan from the womb and Arlo Guthire when he was one. Even snuck in Garth Hudson, but missed out on a Levon Helm show in NJ. On disc, Buckwheat Zydeco's "Booglaoo Choo Choo" is a new fave. We've found some really great independent railroad music, too. James Coffey's "My Mama Was a Train" is a good one.

Try John Denver's "All Aboard!". I think you both will love it and it is totally G rated. He won his first Grammy for this album shortly after his passing. A few standards on there and some that are fun not-so-mainstream tunes as well. The album art was done at the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad.

Ryan Parkevich

Heck Ryan, I bought the John Denver disc for myself long before my son came along! :-) I'm a long time JD fan.

In fact, I would suggest that my childhood exposure to artists like Johnny Cash and Hank Snow furthered my love of railroading. Now, did I like them because they sang about trains, or did I like trains because JC and HS sang about them? Beats me. I think the chicken and the egg showed up at the same time.

What strikes me is that some of the artisits of the 70's who had great train songs then (and earlier) also turned out to be some of the best pop/folk artists of our times. Cash and Gordon Lightfoot come to mind. My introduction to these guys (attributable in part to the train songs) along with my nieghbor Bruce opened up a whole world to me and influenced the music I listened to and wrote.

I read with interest in Model Railroader how Blair Kooistra's HO layout set in Washington state int he late 60's features room audio of appropriate era country music (and there was some really lame country music in the late '60's).

Often when I head out to the rails, I bring along some appropriate tunes for the day. I've been known to listen to Lightfoot on the way to Montreal, some classic Polka when headed up to northeast PA and a little Woody Guthrie when just ramblin' west.

I find that I get a special satisfaction out of listening to labor songs, blue-collar folk music and the like when researching and investigatiing industrial sites. Yes, a little Utah Phillips can really set the mood in the coal country!

Ramblin' on,

Rob

Ryan-
Not sure if you were there at that point, but I seem to remember a few late night sessions on #33 this past July accompanied by songs (either sung by slappy-happy volunteers, or overheard in the shop) by Josh Turner (Long Black Train) and Johnny Cash (Ring of Fire). This led to me and Mr. Zahrt putting together a CD of "overheards" this past Christmas as a gag --- twisted as we are, we alone seemed to get a kick out of it.
While not strictly "train" songs, many double-meanings there relative to trains and/ or their restoration. Funny about what has meaning to you late at night working on a steam locomotive.......

TJ

The world of bluegrass music has countless fine train songs, including my favorite, done by many, "The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore".

Funny, I usually have the song "black lung" by Dry Branch Fire Squad running thru my head when we're raking ashes on 1225.

Fred S.

Over on the Chaski/ Railfan board the Train Songs thread has been running since December 2003 and has over 90 posts on it, including a couple of new ones this week. Must be some kind of record.
mike w.

TJ,
I wasn't there for those specifically, but I have heard the songs. Good times. Thanks for reminding me. BTW #33 is coming along great. Hope to see you at the party in a few days.

Ryan

Rob,

I hear ya man! I'm so glad you love it. I have boxes of JD, Cash, Lightfoot, Young and many others that ride with me during the many hours spent behind the wheel of my truck. That music puts pictures inmy head and that's what I've loved about it since I was a kid.

Keep ramblin' on,

Ryan

Gotta love John Prine....................................................Wooly