Through the
West Virginia mountains
Came the early morning mail
Old Number Three was westbound,
the fastest on the rail
She pulled right into Hinton,
a junction on the line
With a ball and mountain engine,
she made the run on time
Billy Richardson at Hinton
was called to take the run
To pull the fastest mail train
from there to Huntington
His fireman, he reported,
fought duty on the line
Then reading that train order,
left Hinton right on time
And Billy told his fireman
that he would happy be
If he could die while pulling
a train like number three
I want to die on duty,
right in my Captain Heave
While pullin' east bound number four
Or west bound number three
The fireman then said, Billy
You know you're old and gray
Your name is on the pension list
You should retire some day
But Billy said, dear fireman
The truth I'm tellin' you
I'm a guy runnin' my engine cabin,
nothin' else will do
Then pullin' down New River,
came westbound number three
By Thurman and by Cotton Hill,
what danger could it be?
His head then struck a mail crane
while pullin' down the line
He'll never pull his train again
through Huntington on time
He pulled the fastest time break,
he pulled the U .S. mail
He pulled a fast excursion
to the music of the rail
He lost his life on duty
in his engine cab supreme
While pullin' in Montgomery
on westbound number three
Now ladies, if your husband is
a railroad engineer
You know he is in danger
and death is ever near
You know he loves you dearly
when he is by your side
But remember well that his next run
may be his farewell ride