I caught a ride on the rail tonight.
The sun was setting and I thought
To find a place to bed down.
I left town headed west
Toward the setting sun
And within a short time
The train track crept up on the side of the road
And I looked up to see a train moving alongside,
It was keeping time, or I kept time with it.
It was unexpected, slightly surprising, comforting,
The box cars silhouetted by the evening colors.
And the road and train veered together right.
I had only planned to find an empty field outside of town.
But the train and the colors hooked me and pulled me along.
A mile, five miles, ten miles. The road and track stayed together
Till finally, it curved and passed above me on an overpass.
What a beautiful ride! What a beautiful sight!
A ride upon the rails tonight.