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A railroad section gang – including common workers sometimes called gandy dancers – responsible for maintenance of a particular section of railway. One man is holding a bar, while others are using rail tongs to position a rail. Photo published in 1917. Gandy dancer is a slang term used for early railroad workers in the United States, more ...
Jun 6, 2023 · By: Adam Burns. The gandy dancer term has blossomed into folklore over the years, celebrated in several songs, books, and other mainstream mediums. Despite its near mythical status it described a once very common job on the railroad, hard labor. During the era before mechanized maintenance, railroads employed armies of workers to keep their ...
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Oct 17, 2023 · Gandy Dancers “Gandy dancers” was a nickname for railroad section gangs in the days before modern mechanized track upkeep. The men were called dancers for their synchronized movements when repairing track under the direction of a lead workman known as the “caller” or “call man.”. The name “gandy” supposedly arose from a belief ...
Sep 14, 2023 · The Meaning Behind The Song: The Gandy Dancer’s Ball by Frankie Laine The song “The Gandy Dancer’s Ball” by Frankie Laine is a classic piece that holds deep meaning for many. It tells the story of the hardworking men who built the railroads in America during the early 20th century. The term “Gandy Dancer” refers … The Meaning Behind The Song: The Gandy Dancer’s Ball by Frankie ...
Jan 22, 2018 · First of all, they were all Irish. Second, they had to fight Indians every step of the way while laying track. Third, they ate and drank themselves to death on meat and potatoes and rotgut whisky instead of eating vegetables and seafood like the Chinese. Fourth, they spent the last of their money in whorehouses.