Now this here's a story about the Rock Island Line
Well, the Rock Island Line, she runs down into New Orleans
There's a big tollgate down there and you know
If you got certain things on board when you go through the tollgate
Well, you don't have to pay the man no toll
Well, a train driver he pulled up to the tollgate
And a man hollered and asked him what all he had on board and said
I got livestock
I got livestock
I got cows
I got pigs
I got sheep
I got mules
I got all live stock
Well, he said, "You alright boy? You don't have to pay no toll
You can just go right on through," so, he went on through the tollgate
And as he went through, he started pickin' up a little bit of speed
Pickin' up a little bit of steam
He got on through, he turned and looked back at the man, he said
Well, I fooled you
I fooled you
I got pig iron
I got pig iron
I got old pig iron
Down the Rock Island Line, she's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, it's the road to ride
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Well, if you ride it, you got to ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line
Looked cloudy in the west and it looked like rain
Round the curve came a passenger train
North bound train on a southbound track
He's alright a leavin', but he won't be back
Well, the Rock Island Line, she's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, it's the road to ride
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Well, if you ride it, you got to ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line
Oh, I may be right and I may be wrong
But you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Well, the engineer said before he died
There were two more drinks that he'd like to try
The conductor said, "What could they be?"
A hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea
Well, the Rock Island Line, she's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, it's the road to ride
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Well, if you ride it, you got to ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line
