Hellbound Train

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I have a very old postcard from the early 1900s, this poem is printed on it. The first line begins:-

Tom drank until he could drink no more, then he went to sleep on the bar room floor, where he tossed and turned with a troubled brain, to dream that he rode on the hell bound train.

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This poem was written by my Grandfather in England in the 1930/40's and started 'A docker lay down on a barroom floor'. My Cousin has the original handwritten copy and the paper it was first published in. His name was Edward Foley b.1896 d. 1944.   Any other copy of this poem is not the original.

- From guest Dorrett Ellwood (contact)
As a child growing up in the west Indies my great grandmother always said this poem. For years I had no idea where to find it. But thanks to google I did today.

- From guest Kenneth (contact)
Having read some of the other comments, I'm surprised that I hadn't heard of this poem before I had. The first I heard of it was on XM radio's Book Radio. I love this poem. I think it would fit in nicely with a Halloween program,along with Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Raven".

- From guest Tom. (contact)
I used to have a demo copy on 45 it is an awsome poem,song etc. i'll never forget it. any one know where i can get anothr copy please, i have the written version of the poem.thanks. also any names of the singers?

- From guest Daren Johnson (contact)
I first heard this poem in 1934 -- it was very popular in the farm country of Eastern Kansas. It's beginniung was only read as "John Gray lay down on a barrom floor". Reading this web site posting added something new. The near fallen man is identified as "A Texax cowboy." Graying sinful John Gray is better, I think.

- From guest Sabrina Gayle (contact)
I read this poem as a child and prayed after reading as I had never prayed that I would never ride the hell bound train, and praise God Jesus answered my prayers for I have served him for 33 years. What a wonderful savior-- Sabrina

- From guest ja nell morris (contact)
my dad who is 80 use to resight this poem to us he said it in school and got in trouble with the teacher we always loved to hear him resight it i am so glad to find it i am 59 and heard it hundreds of times

- From guest Debbie (contact)
My dad used to recite this poem also, but then after he would recite the Heaven Bound Train one. I am looking for the full words to it as my dad can't remember them all. It goes something like this: The poor widow worn with the toil of the day knelt down in her humble home to pray and she fell asleep with tired brian and dreamt she rode on the heaven bound train. The engine was a glorious sight to behold Studded with diamonds and made of pure gold By the power of God it sped through the air to the city celestial and wond'rous fair Does anyone know what the rest is or where I could find the rest of this?

- I believe the book you're looking for is, ‘The Best Loved Poems of America’, my grandmother just brought it into me for a school project. Here's as it is in the book,

THE HELL-BOUND TRAIN

A Texas cowboy lay down on a barroom floor,
Having drunk so much he could drink no more,
So he fell asleep with a troubled brain
To dream that he rode on the hell-bound train.

The engine with murderous blood was damp
And was brilliantly lit with a brimstone lamp;
An imp, for fuel, was shoveling bones,
While the furnace rang with a thousand groans.

The boiler was filler with lager beer
And the devil himself was the engineer;
The passengers were a most motley crew—
Church member, atheist, Gentile, and Jew.

Rich men in broadcloth, beggars in rags,
Handsome young ladies, and withered old hags,
Yellow and black men, red, brown, and white,
All chained together—O God, what a sight!

White the train rush on at an awful pace—
The sulphurous fumes scorched their hands and face;
Wider and wider the country grew,
As faster and faster the engine flew.

Louder and louder the thunder crashed
And brighter and brighter the lightning flashed;
Hotter and hotter the air became
Till the clothes were burned from each quivering frame.

And out of the distance there arose a yell,
“Ha, ha,” said the devil, “we're nearing hell!”
Then oh, how the passengers all shrieked with pain
And begged the devil to stop the train.

But he capered about and danced for glee,
And laughed and joked at their misery.
“My faithful friends, you have done the work
And the devil never can a payday shirk.

“You've bullied the weak, you've robbed the poor,
The starving brother you've turned from the door;
You've laid up gold where canker rust,
And have given free vent to your beastly lust.

“You've justice scorned, and corruption sown,
And trampled the laws of nature down,
You have drunk, rioted, cheated, plundered, and lied,
And mocked at God in your hell-born pride.

“You have paid full fare, so I'll carry you through,
For it's only right you should have your due.
Why, the laborer always expects his hire,
So I'll land you safe in the lake of fire,

“Where your flesh will waste in the flames that roar,
And my imps torment you forevermore.”
Then the cowboy awoke with an anguished cry,
His clothes wet with sweat and his hair standing high

Then he prayed as he never had prayed till that hour
To be saved from his sin and the demon's power;
And his prayers and his vows were not in vain,
For he never rode the hell-bound train.
UNKNOWN

- From guest Joe Rivera (contact)
I first read this poem in my homework a couple years ago and i wanted to look for it and well here it is. I really likes it because it tells us to live a life without regrets and its a good story to spread around

- From guest William Shehan (contact)
My father recited this poem to me when I was in my early teens. His version was a little diffrent in places, I am 79 so the poem and I have been around for a while.

- Hi Stacey, Wow, your story is almost mine exactly except I am 54. My mother had a big black poem book that I absolutely loved. I thought it was called "America's Best Loved Poems" but I have been to several libraries and unable to find that exact one. It had poems that tell a story, about animals, love, whimsy, religious poems, and friendship. I loved that book and this particular poem was one I memorized for school. My how the years fly. My dear Mom passed less than 2 years ago at age of 82. While moving things out of the house I looked but couldn't find the book. If you now which book or have any idea please let me know.