Railroad Wraiths

The coal train rattles past the frozen creek

Frost is bitten deep into the timber

Ten years underground without a word to speak

Nothing left for winter to remember

Down in the hollow where the cold water runs

A man can lose his name beneath the mountain sun

Oh, roll on iron,

carry me away

Before the black dust claims another day (roll on,

roll on) There is blood on the ties and ice on the

track

Once you cross the ridge you don't look back

My brother went down when the timbers broke

Left a rusted shovel by the kitchen door

Mother prayed all night through the sulfur smoke

Swore she wouldn't mourn a miner no more

Now the whistle cries out from the tunnel mouth

Headlight cutting cold as it heads on south

Oh, roll on iron,

carry me away

Before the black dust claims another day (roll on,

roll on) There is blood on the ties and ice on the

track

Once you cross the ridge you don't look back (hey!)

Oh, roll on iron,

carry me away

Before the black dust claims another day (roll on,

roll on) There is blood on the ties and ice on the

track

Once you cross the ridge you don't look back

Don't look back

(no, don't look back)