# Anyone Listen to Train Music?



## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

I just wanted to see if anyone was crazy about trains to point that they even like listening to train music. About 2 years ago, I started downloading mp3 train songs to my iPod so that I could listen to them while I was working on my indoor layout. Well, two years later, I have over 40 train songs like Wabash Cannonball, Clinch Mountain Backstep, Train 45, Rhythm of the Wheels, Kansas City Railroad Blues, Hobo Blues, just to name a few. I also listen to them in my car. I really enjoy them and I'm still getting new songs to this day. There are many out there!


J.R.


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## Anthony Duarte (Dec 27, 2007)

You ought to listen to a piece called "Different Trains" by Steve Reich. It's minimalistic classical music, but it's very well done. It's for pre recorded tape and string quartet, and he uses recorded train whistles as a major part of the piece. The piece is more or less about passenger trains around WWII, so he recorded interviews with people talking about train service during the Second World War. Their voices are also on the tape, and he uses the inflection of their voices to create the melodies that occur in the live string quartet.
It's a cool piece, and I like listening to the whistles 

Although I should warn you, he does significantly alter the pitch of the whistles in some cases to achieve certain effects, and he also does it to make sure that the whistles match the harmony of the music more consistently . 

To all those who decide to listen to it, enjoy!

- Anthony


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I've got a cd I made from mostly Rockabilly and rock artists. Some pretty obscure stuff, generally from 45's and 78's.


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, that sounds incredible, is a copy available? 

I have been known to pop in on Karaoke across the street and sing "I've been working on the railroad"


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

I've got an ever growing paylist in my computer of train songs, from just about any and all genres... 

Highlights include.. 

Wabash Cannonball..............Johny Cash 
Crazy Train.........................Ozzy Osbourne 
Last Train to Clarksville........The Monkees 
Ticket To Ride...................The Beatles 
The Railroad.....................Grand Funk Railroad
The 5:19 .........................John Hammond Jr. 
Last Train Home .................Pat Metheny 
Orange Blossom Special......Johny Cash 
Railroad Worksong.................The Nodding Hillbillies (Mark Knopfler) 
City of New Orleans..............Arlo Guthrie 
1 after 9:09......................The Beatles


and a whole bunch more...


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh yeah...









Here's a few of them: 


Old Train -- The Seldom Scene
The Golden Rocket -- Hank Snow
I'm Moving On -- Hank Snow
The Wreck of the Old '97 -- Lester Flatt 

Kentucky Borderline -- Rhonda Vincent
Bluegrass Express -- Rhonda Vincent
Runaway Train -- Rosanne Cash
The Silverton -- C.W. McCall
Orange Blossom Special -- Roy Hall
Wabash Cannon Ball -- Roy Acuff
Train, Train -- Dolly Parton
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie -- Asleep at the Wheel
(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle -- Hank Williams
Chatanooga Choo Choo -- Glenn Miller 
Steel Rails -- Alison Krauss 
Cherokee Fiddle -- Johnny Lee


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Bob Wills..... A way out There .... yodel that whistle!


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

The only 'Train music" that is worth listening to is just a steam locomotive pulling a heavy train up a hill.


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## robsmorgan (Nov 29, 2009)

Not just the music..... 
Used to find sitting in my armchair, in the dark, listening to a BBC (UK) sound effects track (of travelling over old style short rails) very relaxing after a hard day at the office! 
.....And it helped to be holding a beer


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

jr747, 

there was an LP (yes, good old vinyl) from johnny cash - Ride this train. 

its worth it! 

and don't forget Lonny Donnegan - some fine skiffle songs about trains.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By kormsen on 04 Feb 2010 08:25 AM 
jr747, 

there was an LP (yes, good old vinyl) from johnny cash - Ride this train. 

its worth it! 


You can STILL get it--As a CD, too !


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## pdk (Jan 2, 2008)

*I Like Trains*

by Fred Eaglesmith

You must check it out.


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## Fritz (Jan 11, 2008)

Well, since musicians write and sing about everything, they might as well sing about trains. There are millions out there and the queston pops up in Fora all over this world every few weeks again. 

Today I love compositions of railroad pictures and music. Plenty of choice via You Tube etc. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpO93jR4kL4&feature=channel_page or 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqoDtrwW5ws&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Ro7bHcNek&feature=related 




Have Fun 

Fritz / Juergen


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## bhewitt452 (Jan 4, 2008)

The City of New Orleans was written by Steve Goodman. You should listen to his version as I think its better than Arlo Guthries.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By bhewitt452 on 05 Feb 2010 07:37 AM 
The City of New Orleans was written by Steve Goodman. You should listen to his version as I think its better than Arlo Guthries.


I have copies of both, love 'em both.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

This one is a great piece, but a little different. This is not the original video, I couldn't find a copy of thta. The original featured British Steam throughout the video, definately a train song. 

Penguin Cafe' Orchestra : Numbers 1-4 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXxiTPiikiw


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JK50gNr2vo&feature=related 

The Gibson Brothers Bona Fide


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## Fritz (Jan 11, 2008)

Arlo Guthrie managed to sing Steve Goodmans song right to the top of the charts. This brought Mr. Goodmann a fortune in cash. 
I met him 1972 at the Cambridge (UK) Folkfestival. He was complaining, that everybody knew the City of New Orleans song, but nobody knew him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXGFKpWUOW0&feature=related 

Have Fun 

Fritz / Juergen


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXGF...re=related


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I remember two songs from my Childhood. 

I cant remember the title but I can remember the first Verse

"Down by the station early in the morning. See all the copper bellies all in a row. See the station master turn the little handle...Chug Chug Toot Toot off we go"



Some forties or fifties group sang Atchion Topeaka and Santa FA. It might even be from a stage play. I use to have a Wurlitzer Juke Box. The ones with all the bubble lights and the ratating color barber poles. It was 78 RPM Held 24 records. I played that thing till I drove my mother nuts. It had most of all my favorite songs in it.


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## sang_route (Sep 24, 2008)

What about Rock Candy Mountain? Hobo's, a lake of gin and they hung the gerk that invented work, sounds like heaven to me.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By sang_route on 06 Feb 2010 09:31 PM 
What about Rock Candy Mountain? Hobo's, a lake of gin and they hung the gerk that invented work, sounds like heaven to me. 

I hered tell they ain't got no short handled shovels neither..


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

I applied one of my live steam videos to some train music by Mark Kaylor. Here it is, turn up the volume:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L78qXJDIwv4


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## livesteam5629 (Jan 2, 2008)

Very Nice Carl. I like the way your coordinated your whistle with the tune. Now I will be humming that dang tune for a couple of days LOL 
Noel


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## livesteam5629 (Jan 2, 2008)

Just read all of this thread and noticed no one mentioned "500 Miles" Someone sent me a French language version as a power point. Now I cannot find it. Very haunting. Wish I had downloaded it. 
N


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

thanks for this thread! I need more tunes for the tiki bar this summer. I love limewire


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Did somebody mention Orange Blossom Special? 
My FAVORITE version.... 
by the band SEATRAIN!!!! 
Worth a listen, from 1970


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Here's a modern classic from 1991; KLF's Last Train To Transcentral
Nice modeltrains in the video!



*KLF - Last Train To Trancentral*
_Geüpload door Hakunamatata67. - Ontdek andere muziek video's._


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## hawkfanjohn (Nov 17, 2009)

what?? No mention of any songs by boxcar willie?? He was an actual hobo and rail rider and many of his songs were also railroad songs!


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By hawkfanjohn on 07 Mar 2010 06:36 PM 
what?? No mention of any songs by boxcar willie?? He was an actual hobo and rail rider and many of his songs were also railroad songs! 

"Boxcar Willie" was the invention of Lecil Travis Martin, a DJ in Corpus Cristi, Texas. Although as a child he would run away from home to ride trains, he was never a hobo.

See: http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/boxcar_willie/bio.jhtml


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## Jim James (Feb 12, 2008)

I really enjoy "The singing Brakeman", ie; Jimmy Rogers! Also enjoy hearing the Merle Haggard album singing Jimmy Rogers hits. They are great songs. (do a Barnes & Noble search) Dwight Yoakum has a few railroad songs too that will keep your toes a tappin'. Also the "Tractors" have one that will make you want to get up and dance. It's called, "Baby Likes To Rock It" (like a boggie woogie choo choo train). A video of it is available too. Jim


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## Paradise (Jan 9, 2008)

Yes, I know he needs a haircut ...



Andrew


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## tmtrainz (Feb 9, 2010)

Kent Courtney 

http://www.livinghistorymusic.com/Chattanooga.htm


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