Hymn

Life's Railway to Heaven

Metre 8.7.8.7 D with refrain

Life is like a mountain railway,

With an engineer that’s brave;

We must make the run successful,

From the cradle to the grave;

Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels;

Never falter, never quail;

Keep your hand upon the throttle,

And your eyes upon the rail.

Blessed Savior, Thou wilt guide us

Till we reach that blissful shore;

When the angels wait to join us

In Thy praise forevermore.

You will roll up grades of trial;

You will cross the bridge of strife;

See that Christ is your conductor

On this lightning train of life;

Always mindful of obstruction,

Do your duty, never fail;

Keep your hand upon the throttle,

And your eyes upon the rail.

You will often find obstructions;

Look for storms and wind and rain;

On a fill, or curve, or trestle,

They will almost ditch your train;

Put your trust alone in Jesus,

Never falter, never fail;

Keep your hand upon the throttle,

And your eyes upon the rail.

As you roll across the trestle,

Spanning Jordan’s swelling tide,

You behold the Union Depot

Into which your train will glide;

There you’ll meet the Superintendent,

God, the Father, God the Son,

With the hearty, joyous plaudit,

“Weary pilgrim, welcome home!”

Life's Railway to Heaven — Text from Victory Songs, 1920. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/lifes-railway-to-heaven

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Questions about this hymn

Who wrote Life's Railway to Heaven?

The words of Life's Railway to Heaven were written by M. E. Abbey; the version here was published in 1920.

Is Life's Railway to Heaven public domain?

Yes. The words here are taken from Victory Songs, published in 1920. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.

What is the metre of Life's Railway to Heaven?

Life's Railway to Heaven is in 8.7.8.7 D with refrain. Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, All for Jesus!, Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah and Tell Me the Story of Jesus.