How many times have you used an expression or heard another person use a
particular expression or cliche and wonder "where did that one originate?
Here's a possibility for an analogy used by railroaders and non railroaders
alike...probably now more by non rails since there are fewer hand throw
switches.
ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH
>From an old poem written by Charles Shackford in 1897...taken from
Information Booth. RAILROAD March 1968
The midnight express wll be late here tonight
So sidetrack the westbound freight.
These are the orders Tom had received
As he passed through the roundhouse gate.
Tom was the switchman with heart true as
steel, and duty was first in his breast, But the
thought of his boy, who was dying at home,
Crazed Tom and he fell at his post.
The shrill whistle blew on the freight for the
west, The rumble was heard of the midnight express.
Asleep at the switch, and no warning light to
signal those trains that rushed through the
night. When down to the switch ran Tom'
daughter Nell.
The crisis had passed; his boy would get well.
She caught up the light and waved it on high,
and sidetracked the westbound freight,
And the midnight express all in safety flew by,
While Tom was asleep at the switch.
The freight slowly backed on the main line again,
The crew called to Tom "Good Night"
Only the sob of a girl made reply,
and they saw by the engine's light
Tom lying flat at his post where he fell,
and there with her hed on his breast,
was his brave daughter Nell, who'd
saved all their lives
and those on the midnight express.
Each man on the freight for the west
bared his head,
For tom's heart had stopped, at his post
he lay dead.
"Asleep at the switch," the President read,
"And my wife and child were on board,
he said.
This road shall reward such heroic acts.
He sat at his desk and filled out a check
and sent it with all dispatch.
'twas for Tom's daughter Nell, for her
deed that night,
While he slept his last sleep at the switch.
Pete
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