In the dark I hear the whistle the rumble of the cars
The l onesome midnight flyer p ast the late night bars
P ulling sixty box-cars and h eading through our town
T earing up the night with a l ong lonesome sound
I t's been a long year since I t hought about the train
The g reyhound and the highway t ook me where I've been
L ate at night I hear the sound the h umming of the rails
The l onesome midnight flyer taking h igh wind in her sails
H ere comes the midnight flyer
S et your watches by her
W heels rolling coming in on t ime
N o one pays her no mind n o one hears her crying
'Cept s ome old man bumming down the l ine
H ere comes the midnight flyer tell me how do you know?
'Cause I h eard her long whistle m oan so soft and low
W heels clicking on the rails in the s tillness of the night
The e ngineer's pulling cord unt il he gets it right
S he's rolling through the back yards the s leepers in the night
On the o utskirts of town h eadlight burning bright
And she's p ulling sixty box-cars and an other railroad bum
Who h eard her whistle blow and c aught her on the run
H ere comes the midnight flyer
S et your watches by her
W heels rolling coming in on t ime
N o one pays her no mind n o one hears her crying
'Cept s ome old man bumming down the l ine