THE ROMANCE OF STEAM LOCOMOTIVES *
For Roanoke, a Railroad Town
Far down the valley sounds the mournful whistle,
Its echo wakes the eagle from his nest,
The chuffing steam erupts from iron vessel,
As round the bend come passengers, expressed.
The great black engine shows his mighty muscle,
His pistons work the drivers lightning-quick,
No time to waste, he’s all hot steam and hustle,
Rolling across the switches clickty-click.
How long … how long ago such scenes enacted!
Those wailing whistles from a distant past—
Is there no means for Time to be contracted,
To hear once more that lonely whistle-blast?
Those ghostly locomotives still remind us
Of great adventures, tearing down the track—
But O--how far their great days are behind us,
As we roll on, so seldom looking back!
* But only a couple of years ago, the famous 611, a Y6 streamliner once retired from service on the Norfolk and Western, was taken down to the shops in North Carolina, completely reconditioned, refueled and sent back on its own steam, proudly rolling in to the Roanoke yards, as hundreds of loyal fans waved and cheered. Its announced purpose was to power excursion trains.
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