Green Light on the Southern

Standing on a sidetrack at the south end of town
 On a hot, dry, dusty August day the steam pipe blowin' down
 The fireman with that long oil can oiling the old valve gears
 Waiting for the fast mail train semaphore to clear
 The engineer in the old high cab, his gold watch in his hand
 Looking at the water glass and letting down the sand
 Rolling out on the old main line taking up the slack
 Gone today but so they say tomorrow he'll be back
 Oh, if I could return to those boyhood days of mine
 And the green light on the Southern
 Southern railroad line
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 Creepin' down the rusty rails of the weed grown branch line
 The section houses gray and white by the yard limit sign
 The hoggers call the old high ball, it's no more time to wait
 Just rolling down to Birmingham with a ten car local freight
 The whistle scream with a hiss of steam, the headlight gleams clear
 The drivers roll on the green and go getting mighty near
 Handing up the orders to the engine crew on time
 It's the Alabama Great Southern AGS railroad line
 Oh, if I could return to those boyhood days of mine
 And that green light on the Southern
 Southern railroad line