Through the West Virginia mountains came the early morning mail
Old Number Three was westbound, the fastest on the rail
She pulled right into Hinton, a junction on the line
With a Baldwin Mountain engine, they made the run on time

Billy Richardson at Hinton was called to make the run
To pull the fastest mail train from there to Huntington
His fireman, he reported for duty on the line
Then reading their train orders, left Hinton right on time

Then Billy told his fireman, that he would happy be
If he could die while pulling a train like Number Three
“I want to die on duty, right in my cab,” said he
“While pulling eastbound Number Four or westbound Number Three.”