On a cold November morning, back in 1937, with an early snowfall and on the three-foot
tracks at Ames, came a mighty strange contraption known to trained men as a motor, but to folks
in Colorado, she was known by another name.
Up the canyon, south of Saw Pit, past the Red Cathedral, spires across the Yellow Mountain,
switchbacks and the rapids far below.
On the high of the lofty trestles, near the fabled Mines of Overt, in the silver San Juan
Mountains came a goose a-plowin' snow.
With a goose and an engine running, hoppin' on the goose, came the real red soldier, a
galloping goose.
With a goose and an engine running, hoppin' on the goose, came number five, the galloping
goose.
Twas a four-door automobile, on a dozen wheels of iron, sixteen feet of rockin' boxcars,
spot-welded to her tail.
Loaded down with mercantile, ten bags of high-grade ore, two mothers, a nurse and babies, seven
miners and the mail.
Up the side of Sunshine Mountain, by internal gas combustion, eight pierce-arrow pistons
pullin' fifteen thousand pounds of lead.
At the snow-shed on the summit, the conductor said his prayers, he'd acquired a busted driveshaft
on the pass of Lizard Head.
With a pierce-arrow engine running, hoppin' on the goose, came the real red soldier, a
galloping goose.
With a pierce-arrow engine running, hoppin' on the goose, came number five, the galloping
goose.
Down three percent to Rico, in the Valley of Dolores, they still
talk about the southern and her flock of flying geese.
From the roundhouse at Ridgway to the depot at Durango, all the tracks are gone for scrap
iron and the ganders rest in peace.
Up the canyon south of Salt Pit, past the Red Cathedral, spires cross the Yellow Mountain,
switchbacks and the rabbits far below.
On the high and lofty trestles, near the fabled mines of Ophir, in the Silver San Juan Mountains,
there's a legend in the snow.
With a pierce-arrow engine running, hoppin' on the goose, came the real red soldier, a
galloping goose.
With a pierce-arrow engine running, hoppin' on the goose, came number five, the galloping

goose.