Twas the night before Trainfest, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The trailers are packed, and hitched to the trucks,
While Little John sleeps, and dreams of dead ducks.
I packed the truck early, so I could watch some TV,
Before drifting off to sleep, so sleepy I could be.
And momma is snoring right next to me now,
She snores so darn loud, she sounds like a cow.
But sleep came upon me, as fast as could be,
But oh what the heck did sleep bring to me.
Standing in front of me was NYC Jim,
He is living in Florida, and he got so darn slim.
I said “what the heck brings you into my dream”,
"I thought you were skipping this show and the team".
Jim sat down in the seat of the Niagara’s big cab,
And said “Hello there buddy, I just wanted to blab”.
“I’m going to miss all the stories from Jack”,
“But I’m gonna let him ride in back in the hack”.
“This train’s going to Cleveland in 2014”,
“So short of a trip it is going to seem”.
I said “there’s so much, that was done this last year”,
But the ballast didn’t dry, that is what I do fear.
He said “don’t you worry, the trains they will run”,
“I am sure with the guys, you will have lots of fun”.
He moved the Johnson bar on the very big beast,
The whistle blew twice, the brakes they released.
He yanked on the throttle, the train it did move,
I think that it’s like he was really in the groove.
“On Jerry, Jim, and Ed, and On Mark’ he did yell,
“On Paul, Jack, Rich, and LJ”, while he clanged on the bell,
“On Marty, Lou, and Nick, you’re on board with the group”,
“I’m sure that you’ll find, these guys are a hoot”.
The train it did slow when coming to West Allis,
The building we would be in, stood out like a palace.
All of us guys got off of the train,
Except Jim and his camera, he was off to a plane.
He yanked on the throttle, the beast chugged ahead,
And then I awoke, I was still in my bed.
But off in the distance I heard, his loud voice,
“Enjoy yourselves at Trainfest, it’s gonna be nice”.
