In the 1945 hit song “On The Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe,” sung by Judy Garland and many other notable singers of that era, part of the lyrics are as follows;
Oh, the roads back east are mighty swell,
The Chesapeake, Ohio and the ASL,
But I make my run and I make my pay
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe.
Who is the ASL? The only possible match I could find was the Atlantic Shore Line Railway, an electric trolley line serving southwestern Maine.
There was an Adirondack & St.Lawrence Ry. It didn’t start until 1906, but it’s possible one of the Hollywood people grew up by the railroad so threw the name in.
Also there was an Aspen Short Line Ry. in the 19th century. It turned up being referred to several times in a book “Documents Relating to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe” available on Google books.
“ASL” is only in the movie, it’s not in the original Johnny Mercer lyrics as published in 1944, or in his hit record of it from 1945.
My guess is that ASL was an error. The original intent was most likely ACL or Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. In that stanza, it also would have made more railroading sense to have used “Baltimore” instead of “Chesapeake” without compromising the rhythm and rhyme. The B&O was a much larger railroad than the C&O.
Regardless, the one train scene in the 1946 movie “Harvey Girls” portrayed two different locomotives, neither in true AT&SF colors, which most likely would have been black.
“The Chesapeake and Ohio and the B&O”
Doesn’t fit. The ending of the second line of the stanza has to rhyme with the ending of the first line. Henry, you would make a poor songwriter!
A short section of the Atlantic Shore Line lives in Maine as the “Demonstration Railway” at the Seashore Trolley Museum. Former ASL rolling stock on hand include a two axle express car, a baggage RPO (108) and a Laconia-built freight locomotive (100). 100 and 108 both run but are used only on special occasions.
Hee means “Bltimore and Ohio and ACL” instead of “Chesapeak and Ohio and ASL.”
Checked on line for lyrics and I stand corrected…it is “ASL”!
Ten years ago, I visited the Seashore Trolley Museum. It has an impressive collection of former trolleys and at least one from New Jersey, where I live. IIRC, the unit was a former Public Service Coordinated Transport (PSCT) trolley. I also vaguely recall seeing one of the PSCT President’s Cars that ran from from Newark (NJ) Penn Station to Branch Brook Park.
Regarding the Seashore Museum’s trolley ride, it was about a mile to a turnaround, then back. At the time, the volunteers were attempting to extend the rails. Was this segment part of the actual route of the Atlantic Shore Line? Since the route I traversed was completely tree lined, what would have been the next stop beyond Kennebunkport?
The line is on the actual ASL Right-of-way. The line is about 1.8 miles long to a loop, and the Museum owns an additional 2 or so miles of ROW to Biddeford ME, which is the next town north.
It has been a very very long time since I visited Seashore, but yes, the roadbed is that of the ASL. Definitely.
Interesting following the story of the lyrics…I have listened to 3 Judy Garland renditions and a Johnny Mercer (Composer, lyricist) cut and each is quite different from the other and none of them include the line and railroads in question. The printed lyrics for Mercer’s “hit” do not have the line but other printed lyrics do (not attributed to either Garland or Mercer). The Harvey Girl scene does not have the lyric and another cut from a Garland’s Best Of album doesn’t, and another recording doesn’t either. I have almost 4000 albums or LPs (for sale) so I will have to dig out the JG albums. (13 of them) and give a listen as soon as I have a chance!
…
On YouTube, one can view the relevant clip from “Harvey Girls” and hear the stanza sung that I originally posted. Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJXnDaCNFpA
Fast forward to about 5:10 in the clip. The first two lines of the stanza are sung by the AT&SF engineer, the final two lines by his fireman.
This is a different clip than what I listened to and watched… and the one, evidently, to which the entire printed lyrics are for! I actually could be that neither Judy nor Johnny ever sang those lyrics!
I’m still going with Aspen Short Line. Based on the book I linked to in my earlier post, the Aspen Short Line had some connection with the Santa Fe in the 1800’s, it could be someone came across a reference to it while researching the ATSF for the movie.
Apparently the ASL was leased by Colorado Midland, and was somehow involved in a trackage agreement with ATSF and CM - perhaps around Arkansas Junction. There may have been some other financial / mortgage connection too.
I’m thinking that only Johnny Mercer can answer this question and he’s now decomposing.
Wouldn’t help, the words in question were added by someone else after he wrote and published the song.
Judging from the many versions of the song by just him and Judy Garland, I wouldn’t doubt that…often happens when in a movie script they need more time or when someone forgets lyrics and all of a sudden they’ve rewritten the lyrics. Or, in order to hold or renew the copyright on the music the owners will do that especially after the death of the composer.
That road would be in Colorado, which excludes it because it is not an eastern road. I still believe ASL was simply a flub. I favor the intended road to be ACL (Atlantic Coast Line). The substitution of ACL for ASL in no way compromises the rhythm or rhyme.
Well Hollywood put out a blockbuster movie years back called “Krakatoa, East of Java”…even though Krakatoa is actually WEST of Java.
[;)]