Way Out in Idaho

Come all you jolly railroad men, and I’ll sing you if I can
Of the trials and tribulations of a luckless railroad man
Who started out from Denver his fortune to make grow,
And struck the Oregon Short Line way out in Idaho.

Refrain
Way out in Idaho, way out in Idaho,
A-workin’on the narrow gauge, way out in Idaho.

I was roaming around in Denver one luckless rainy day
When Kilpatrick’s man, Catcher, stepped up to me and did say,
“I’ll lay you down five dollars as quickly as I can
And you’ll hurry up and catch the train, she’s starting for Cheyenne.” Refrain

He laid me down five dollars, like many another man,
And I started for the depot as happy as a clam;
When I got to Pocatello, my troubles began to grow,
A-wading through the sagebrush in frost and rain and snow. Refrain

When I got to American Falls, it was there I met Big Jack,
He said he kept a hotel in a dirty canvas shack.
“We hear you are a stranger and perhaps your funds are low
Well, yonder stands my hotel tent, the best in Idaho.” Refrain

I followed my conductor into his hotel tent,
And for one square and hearty meal I paid him my last cent
But Jack’s a jolly fellow, and you’ll always find him so,
A-workin’on the narrow-gauge way out in Idaho. Refrain