Death Of The New York Central Poem by Paul Henry Dallaire

The information I wrote about the train was given to me personally by Orval Prophet. He remembered the train as he lived not far from the tracks in Edwards Ontario Canada and he knew some of the railroad men.. He also commented on the train's color and how it was painted and emphasised the look of a lion. (Stripes I guess)
Also the names I used in the lyrics are actual names of the chatacters that worked on the railroad at the time and he remembered them.
I believe Orval was going to record this song before his untimely death. I sang at his funeral and he was buried in the cemetery in Winchester Ontario Canada
You can now hear a version at www.johnnycashsong.com.
and hear the great fiddle of Pete Bowen
On drums, Buddy McCann, harmonica, Terry McCann,

Death Of The New York Central

Hear that New York Central groanin
Slowin down at Russell Station
Tar paper shacks where time has stopped
Fifty years ago

Everything around has flourished
But the old train was all finished
When the chug a lug of coal fire
Was replaced by diesel fuel

She was a school ride to the children
The milk run to the farmer
Painted like lion Jim Forsythe
The conductor

From Ottawa to Messena
Bringin mail and loved ones to ya
Folks ran out the back porch
When they heard her whistle whine

Chorus:
You can't hear her engine roar
For she's gone forever more
Oh how time has slipped away

You can them in the yard
Obsolete and rusted hard
Snow and rain has killed this train

Verse:
Bernie Campbell was station master
Dave Preston was a foreman
And in my past life
I was Casey Jones

Now I'm a railroad country Picker
Till my time is up I'll wonder
My next time around
I wanna be an engineer

Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub. SOCAN