They grew up in the shadow of the armory

Land of freedom right out their back door

Brothers near the middle of the century

One of them had to go and fight the war

Somebody had to go and fight the war

And the train goes...



So he left upon the rails toward Ohiopyle

Youghiogheny flows around the bend

He told his mother someday he'd be coming home

The medals shine and the stars never end

But nobody counts on scars that never mend

And the train goes...



Cast iron wheels go hungry in the fields

Searching for that silver line a long, long way to go

Cast iron hearts go hungry for spare parts

Searching for a hand to hold on late night radio



He flew missions out of London into Germany

In letters she read once then locked away

With a picture of him smiling at the armory

The colors in that flag all washed away

It's just black and white and a hundred shades of gray

And the train goes...



That's the way it goes