Now, this here's the story about the Rock Island Line Well, The Rock Island line, she runs down into New Orleans There's a big toll gate down there And, y' know, if you got certain things on board When you go through the toll gate Well you don't have to pay the man no toll Well, the train driver, he pulled up to the toll gate and The man hollered and asked him what all he had on board, and he said I got livestock, I got livestock I got cows, I got pigs, I got sheep, I got mules, I got all livestock Well, he said, you're alright, boy You don't have to pay no toll You can just go right on through So, he went on through the toll gate, and as he went through He started picking up a little bit of speed Picking up a little bit of steam He got on through he turned a look back to the man, he said Well, I fooled you, I fooled you I got pig iron, I got pig iron I got all pig iron Down the Rock Island Line she's a mighty good road The Rock Island Line, it's a road to ride The Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it Get your ticket at the station called the Rock Island Line It was cloudy in the west, and it looked like rain, round the curve come-a passenger train. North-bound train on the south-bound track, You were all right a-leavin but he won't be back Well, the Rock Island Line she's a mighty good road The Rock Island Line, it's a road to ride The Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it Get your ticket at the station of the Rock Island Line well I may be right and I may be wrong But you're gotta miss me when I'm gone Well, the engineer said before he died, that There were two more drinks that he'd like to try, The doctor said “what could they be” “a hot cup of coffee and cold glass of tea” Well, the Rock Island Line she's a mighty good road Rock Island Line, it's a road to ride Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it Get your ticket at the station called the Rock Island Line