Passenger Trains > Rail Poetry

If you love me, and it starts to rain-
Cheer me up and and take me on the train.
We'll dine and talk to remove the gloom,
And retreat to an evening of passion in our Deluxe Room.
Please stay the night, and sing of the upcoming morning glory,
Listen to my jeckyl and hyde soul tell interesting stories.
Let our meeting last forever in your memory,
Amtrak will remind you of it when you take it from sea to shiny sea!

And the solemn firmament marches
And the hosts of heaven rise
Framed through the iron arches --
Banded and barred by the ties,

Till we feel the far track humming
And we see her headlight plain
And we gather and wait her coming --
The wonderful north-bound train.

(Few, forgotten and lonely,
Where the white car-windows shine --
No, not combatants - only
Details guarding the line.)

Rudyard Kipling, 1901

"Bridge Guard in the Karroo"

And that concludes tonight's episode of Leonard Pinth-Garnel's "Bad Poetry." I must say, it was excruciatingly awful.

To the tune: "Coming into Los Angeles" by Arlo Guthrie

Coming in from Portland
Going right past Pinole
Ridin' on a Superliner
Chicken flyin' everywhere around the Train,
Guess it must have come from the Diner

(chorus)
Coming into Los Angeles
Bringing in a tour of Chinese
Go get our bags if you please
Mr. Red-Cap man!

There's a man in the "kiddie kar" lurking around
Some people think he's a danger
But he's the entertainer and he's quite renowned
Dressed up like the Lone Ranger

(chorus)

Were chuggin along about 79
Right past the UP Detector
I guess our equipment has no defects
Except a car attendant named Hector

(chorus)

(repeat verse 1 then chorus)

To the rythm of "Take Me Home, Country Roads"

Pacific Station
Vancouver..
Cascade Mountains,
Crystal clear Rivers

Headlight's showin'..
Stainless steel
18 cars slowin'
pickin' up it's people

Three thousand Miles
until Toronto
Canadian's conductor
yells for #2, "Let's Go!"

-chorus-
Take Me east, stainless beast
across the land, of Maple Leafs,
Proudful people, Lovely ladies
take me east, take me east

Rocky Mountains
gather 'round Her
Passengers can't believe
what on Earth they've just seen

High speed luxury
Across the Praires
all the freight on CN
is put away so nicely

Second Morning
Still so surprising
Never has been boring
Canada is so inviting

Savory Salmon
Molson Canadian
Doesn't get much better
Can't wait to do it again

Ontario greets us
Another perfect trip
One thing is certain
VIA always beats the Bus...


VIA 1

The last train is nearly due
the underground is closing soon
and in the dark deserted station
restless in anticipation
a man waits in the shadows.

...

And the train is gone suddenly
on wheels clicking silently
like a gently tapping litany
and he holds the crayon rosary
tighter in his hand.

P. Simon, 1966
A Poem on the Underground Wall

Remember this when I announce my candidacy for doggerel catcher.

...that used to haul shiny beach buckets,
but the NS came calling,
and the folks began bawling,
"Darn that late train, lets just truck it."

Sung to the tune of Jet Airliner By Steve miller

Leavin' home, out on the rails
I've been down before
Riding along in this big RDC-1
I've been thinking about my trip
But it's Courtenay that seems so far away
And I feel the engine fall apart
The Conductor's trying to make me stay
You know I've got to be getting home

Chorus:
Oh, Oh E&N Railiner
Dont' break down too far away
Oh, Oh E&N Railiner
Cause Courtenay's where I've got to be

Goodbye to all my friends at VIA
Goodbye to the VIA agents I trusted
It's got to go out and make its way
It might make or get busted
But that horn keeps calling me here
As I get on that RDC-1
Riding high I got my fingers crossed
You know you've got to go through Nanaimo
Before you get to Courtenay

Chorus

Pulling in to that BC town
Feel the rain coming down
I've got to keep keepin hope
You know the big wheels don't always spin around
And I'm going with some hesitation
You know I can see
That I don't want to ride when it's making
Funky sounds below my feet

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Oh, oh E&N Railiner
Carry me to Victoria
Oh, oh E&N Railiner
Cause it's there that I belong