- My name's Jake, and when I was a teenager I bought a used accordion at a thrift shop.

It changed my life forever.

Today, making music with The Chardon Polka Band is my job.

Today, making music with The Chardon Polka Band is my job.

There's Mike, Mitch, two Bobs, and a Brian.

You never know what's gonna happen next.

You never know who you might run into because this is "The World According to Polka."

(playful music) (tires screech) The steam locomotive was invented in 1804, and since then trains have captivated us both as a form of transportation and recreation.

Trains come in all shapes and sizes, and they also serve as the inspiration for some beloved songs.

We'll be exploring some of this music today as well as these intriguing machines on "The World According to Polka."

Hold on.

I think I hear something.

♪ I've been working on the railroad ♪ ♪ All the live long day ♪ I've been working on the railroad ♪ ♪ Just to pass the time away ♪ Can't you hear the whistle blowing ♪ ♪ Rise up so early in the morn ♪ Can't you hear the captain shouting ♪ ♪ Dinah, blow your horn ♪ Oh, Dinah, won't you blow ♪ Dinah, won't you blow ♪ Dinah, won't you blow your horn, your horn ♪ ♪ Dinah, won't you blow ♪ Dinah, won't you blow ♪ Dinah, won't you blow your horn ♪ ♪ Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah ♪ ♪ Someone's in the kitchen I know ♪ ♪ Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah ♪ ♪ Strumming on the old banjo ♪ Singing fee fie fiddle eell o ♪ ♪ Fee fie fiddle eell o ♪ Fee fie fiddle eell o ♪ Strumming on the old banjo ♪ Fee fie fiddle eell o ♪ Fee fie fiddle eell o ♪ Fee fie fiddle eell ooooo ♪ Strumming on the old banjo (audience cheers and applauds) (train whistles) Every model railroad is better with a little pint-sized polka.

And we've got plenty of polka for you guys at the next stop.

Now we're gonna talk about some trains that aren't as small as the ones you might have in your basement, but they're not the full-sized trains you see crisscrossing the country.

That's why I'm here with Frank Foti from the Lake Shore Live Steamers.

Frank, what are we doing here today?

- This is known as the one-eighth scale live steam hobby.

- Okay.

- Which is meaning that this locomotive here, known as East Wind, is one-eighth the size of the real thing.

- Of the big ones.

- Of the big ones.

- [Jake] Other than that, this is a fully functioning steam locomotive, right?

- [Frank] Oh yeah, oh yeah.

- [Jake] It's just really small.

- Yeah, everything that happens on this locomotive happens on the full size.

My first memory in life was my dad, I'm probably two years old, sitting me down in front of the Christmas tree, and there's an American Flyer, you know, train going around the tree.

- [Jake] Oh my gosh.

- [Frank] You know, steam engine, and the smell of the American Flyer smoke to this day is like my drug of choice.

- Frank and the rest of the Lake Shore Live Steamers run and maintain their miniaturized locomotives here at the Lake County Metropark's Penitentiary Glen.

Look who I ran into in the train line.

Who have we got here?

- Luke and Benzie.

- Yep, you guys know my kids.

These are the twins.

Are you guys excited for some trains today?

- Yes.

- Yes.

- What's your favorite part about riding on these trains?

- [Twin] When they start up and the whistle blows.

- [Jake] Oh my goodness.

- [Twin] Yeah, that part.

- [Jake] And what kind of noises do the trains make?

- Toot toot!

- Hooo!

(train horn toots) - So tell us a little bit about this hobby.

- Some of us are steamers, but also there are locomotives here that are battery operated.

And then there's others that are gas-powered, but they look like, you know, current style diesel locomotives or older diesel locomotives.

What brings us all together is our love for trains.

There was somebody extremely famous that did this hobby.

That was Walt Disney.

He had his own railroad in his backyard.

It was his private railroad that spurred the idea of Disneyland.

- [Jake] And we're capturing some of that same kind of excitement today with the Lake Shore Live Steamers as folks of all ages come out to enjoy these trains.

What's your favorite thing about the trains?

- Just riding on it and seeing all the nature.

- [Jake] Oh, that is a good answer.

What about you?

What do you like?

- I like the tunnels and bridges.

- [Jake] Okay, tunnels and bridges.

- I like the engineering behind them.

The coal-powered trains and the electric and the gas ones.

Those are really cool to see happen, so.

- I like waving at the other trains when we pass each other.

(train horn blares) - All right, we never know who we're gonna run into.

And folks out here with the Lake Shore Live Steamers, I've run into famed button box band leader Patty Candela of Patty C and the Guys, right?

- Yes.

- And you guys are not just any band because you've won Button Box Band of the Year from National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, haven't you?

- [Patty] Yes.

- This is fantastic.

Now this accordion is different than my accordion.

Tell our our viewers at home, what's the difference here?

- This is a diatonic button box, so it's like a harmonica.

(accordion plays) Different note going in and out.

- [Jake] Okay, and I just got the piano keys.

- You just got the piano keys.

(accordion plays) - I got the dinky piano keys.

Oh my goodness.

I have no idea how that works, but- - I don't either.

- You do.

You do.

Now you're also a familiar face here at the Lake Shore Live Steamers.

What do you do when you're here?

- I usually am a conductor, one of the conductors whenever they need it.

Make sure everybody's toes and hands stay inside.

- (laughs) Yeah, don't stick your arms and legs outside the vehicle.

Well, today we're gonna make some music for these people.

Patty's gonna lead us on the button box, and I'm gonna do my best to hang on.

("Flapper Girl Polka" music) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ♪ Woo hoo ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" music continues) ("Flapper Girl Polka" ends) We hope you enjoyed meeting the Lake Shore Live steamers.

And now we're back with some even smaller engines.

The model trains crisscrossing these intricate tracks are run on electricity.

And while miniaturized, this is the same concept used by full-sized commuter trains in cities across the country.

We're at the Corner Field Model Railroad Museum and Trading Post in Geauga County, Ohio.

It features close to 7,000 feet of tiny tracks, over 350 model railroad engines, and over 4,500 buildings.

So I'm here with Tom and Vicki Elesh, and as I understand, you guys are the architects and the curators of this place.

It's a family affair, isn't it?

- [Tom] Yes, I own it.

My wife runs everything.

My son takes care of everything on the other side of the wall.

- And our daughter helps also by building the buildings and everything, so.

- [Tom] Yeah.

- Who comes to visit you here at the train museum?

- Let's just say everybody and anybody.

They come from all over.

- [Vicki] All ages.

It doesn't matter from little babies, which like all the things moving, to the adults that are almost 100 years old.

- I mean, we've had people from South Korea, Ukraine, we just had this the other day, Russia, China.

I mean, they come from all over.

- So you not only get people from out of state, you get people from out of the country.

- That's right.

- Correct.

- [Tom] They come from all over.

And that's the best part.

I'll do it for the people.

- [Vicki] Yep.

- Well, thank you guys so much.

Thank you for sharing this place with us and the community.

- [Tom] Oh yes.

- Our next train song goes way back with the first lyrics being pinned in 1882.

In 1904, the song got the title that we're all familiar with, the "Wabash Cannonball."

("Wabash Cannonball" music) ("Wabash Cannonball" music continues) ♪ From the great Atlantic Ocean ♪ ♪ To the wide Pacific shore ♪ The green old flowing mountains ♪ ♪ To the south down by the moor ♪ ♪ She's mighty tall and handsome ♪ ♪ She's know quite well by all ♪ She's a modern combination on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ ♪ Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar ♪ ♪ As she glides across the woodland ♪ ♪ O'er the hills and by the shore ♪ ♪ Hear the mighty rush of the engine ♪ ♪ Hear the lonesome hobo's call ♪ ♪ As you travel across the country on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ ♪ Oh, the eastern states are dandy so the people always say ♪ ♪ From New York to St.

Louis and Chicago by the way ♪ ♪ From the hills of Minnesota ♪ Where them rippling waters fall ♪ ♪ No changes can be taken on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ ♪ Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar ♪ ♪ As she glides across the woodland ♪ ♪ O'er hills and by the shore ♪ Hear the mighty rush of the engine ♪ ♪ Hear the lonesome hobo's call ♪ ♪ As you travel across the country on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ ("Wabash Cannonball" music continues) ("Wabash Cannonball" music continues) ♪ I went down from Birmingham one dark December day ♪ ♪ As the train pulled in the station ♪ ♪ You could hear the people say ♪ ♪ There's a fellow from Tennessee, boys ♪ ♪ He's handsome and he's tall ♪ He came down from Alabamon on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ ♪ Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar ♪ ♪ As she glides across the woodland ♪ ♪ O'er hills and by the shore ♪ Hear the mighty rush of the engine ♪ ♪ Hear the lonesome hobo's call ♪ ♪ As you travel across the country on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ ♪ As you travel across the country on the Wabash Cannonball ♪ What a wonderful spot for our imaginations to soar down the track.

And now it's on to another stop.

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad operates diesel, electric, and steam-powered trains between Akron and Cleveland Ohio, running through the picturesque Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

The CVSR has a rich history, being built by the Valley Railway in the late 19th century before becoming a part of the more well-known Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line.

While it's used by passenger trains today, its original purpose was to transport coal and other goods to industrial centers in the state.

Today, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is dedicated to preserving and renovating historic rail cars for future generations to enjoy, and they even welcome accordion players.

(folk music) - Hey, Jake, this is Bob Buzecan, your on the scene reporter for "The World According to Polka" here on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

And I have a special guest, Lynee Bixler, who is the director of marketing, communications, and - [Both] customer service.

- Well, thank you for the help on that.

What is your single most favorite thing about working here at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad?

- The people that we work with.

We have about 40 paid staff, a plethora of volunteers.

I think our volunteer workforce is probably into the thousands, and they rotate through.

It takes a lot of people to run a train, and so they're all very dedicated and really into trains and what they do.

And so it's great to be a part of something bigger than yourself.

Yeah, it's a blast.

I love working here.

Who wouldn't wanna work on a train in a national park?

It doesn't get much better than that.

("Ring of Fire" accordion music) ("Ring of Fire" accordion music continues) ♪ Love is a burning thing ♪ And it makes a fiery ring ♪ Bound by wild desire ♪ I fell into a ring of fire ♪ I fell into a burning ring of fire ♪ ♪ I went down, down, down and the flames went higher ♪ ♪ And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire ♪ ♪ The ring of fire ("Ring of Fire" accordion music) ♪ I hear the train a comin' ♪ It's rolling 'round the bend ♪ And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when ♪ ♪ I'm stuck in Folsom prison ♪ And time keeps draggin' on ♪ And that train keeps a rollin' down to San Antone ♪ ("Folsom" accordion music) ("Folsom" accordion music continues) ("Folsom" accordion music continues) ♪ I fell into a burning ring of fire ♪ ♪ I went down, down, down and the flames went higher ♪ ♪ And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire ♪ ♪ The ring of fire (accordion music) (train horn blares) - All aboard.

Up next, the polka train has taken me to meet up with an old buddy.

We're gonna sing some folksy train numbers from the Great American Songbook.

All right, so when we started filming an episode about trains, I knew I had to get on the phone with my good buddy Johnny Miller.

I know you from a band called Johnny and the Apple Stompers.

- [Johnny] Yes.

- [Jake] You used to play with The Chardon Polka Band once a while back in the day.

- [Johnny] Yes, way back in the day way.

- [Jake] We're old men now.

- [Johnny] Yeah, pretty much.

- Grizzled, wizened.

- Sitting on train cars, talking about the good old days.

Now, the reason I called you is because you play like folk, Americana music.

- Yeah, that, a little rock and roll sometimes, you know?

- What got you into this style of music?

- Well, my dad, mainly, when I was a kid.

My earliest memories are sitting in his truck listening to like Hank Williams and Bill Monroe cassette tapes.

- You started collecting these songs, right?

- Pretty much.

Well, I mean, I didn't start at two, but- - Three?

- Three, yeah.

- You were three.

Three, he started collecting these songs.

- 3.5.

- And a lot of these old folk tunes, they are about- - Trains.

- That's right.

And what's the first one you're gonna be helping us with today?

- Oh, the first one we're gonna doing is "Waiting for a Train" by Jimmy Rogers.

It was recorded some point in the '30s.

- [Jake] Oh, this is an old one.

- [Johnny] '20s and '30s, yeah.

- All right, well, if we're gonna do an old tune, we're gonna need the help of a percussionist.

We'll get Bob Young on the percussion.

- Yes.

- I'll be on accordion on this song.

And then of course, I love when we do this, we're gonna get Jeff Grau out from behind the camera, and we're gonna get him on camera so he can play that fiddle for you.

- All right, you ready?

- [Jeff] Yep.

("Waiting for a Train" music) ♪ We're all around the water tank ♪ ♪ Waiting for a train ♪ A thousand miles away from home ♪ ♪ Sleeping in the rain ♪ I walked up to a brakeman ♪ Just to give him a line of talk ♪ ♪ He said, "If you've got the money ♪ ♪ I'll see that you don't walk" ♪ ♪ I haven't got me a nickel ♪ Not a penny can I show ♪ "Get off, get off, you railroad bum" ♪ ♪ And he slammed that boxcar door ♪ ("Waiting for a Train" music continues) ("Waiting for a Train" music continues) ("Waiting for a Train" music continues) ("Waiting for a Train" music continues) ♪ Well, he put me off down in Texas ♪ ♪ That state I dearly love ♪ With wide open spaces all around me ♪ ♪ And the moon and the stars up above ♪ ♪ My pocket book is empty ♪ And my heart is full of pain ♪ I'm a thousand miles away from home ♪ ♪ Just waiting for a train ("Waiting for a Train" music continues) ("Waiting for a Train" music ends) - [Jake] If you're waiting on a train, you wouldn't have to wait long on the Japanese SC Maglev LO Series, the fastest train in the world, which achieved a record speed of 603 kilometers an hour.

- I'm still waiting.

- He's still waiting on his train.

It ain't showed up yet.

I think based on the track and how far that sunk in the mud, we're gonna be waiting a while.

- Yeah, probably.

- Now, Johnny, why do you think so many of these old folk and country tunes are about trains?

What's the mystique there?

What's the magnetism?

- It was a new way to travel.

It made it easier, quicker to travel across the country.

You know, instead of bouncing on a buckboard, you're sipping cognac in a dining car, which sounds a lot better to me.

- So what are some other tunes that you can just list in your Rolodex?

I know you've got 'em.

- Let's see, "Wreck of the Old '97," you got the "Wabash Cannonball," you got the "California Zephyr," you got the "Pan American," you got "Fireball Mail," you've got "Night Train to Memphis," "Midnight Train to Georgia."

- All right, I'm gonna stop you because I know you could keep going all afternoon, but we gotta fit one more tune in with you.

What's this one gonna be, Johnny?

- This song is a song called "Freight Train."

It was written by Elizabeth Cotten.

She was actually 11 years old when she wrote it back in like the early 1900s.

- 11 years old?

- [Johnny] Yeah.

- Making us all look bad.

- I know.

- Oh my goodness.

Well, thank you for making us look bad today.

This is Johnny Miller joining us with Jeff Grau and Bob Young on "Freight Train."

("Freight Train" music) ("Freight Train" music continues) ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Please don't tell them what train I'm on ♪ ♪ And they won't know what route I'm going ♪ ("Freight Train" music continues) - [Jake] Break it down.

("Freight Train" music continues) ("Freight Train" music continues) ♪ When I'm dead and I'm in my grave ♪ ♪ No more good times here I crave ♪ ♪ Place those stones at my head and my feet ♪ ♪ You can tell them all that I've gone to sleep ♪ ♪ When I die, Lord, bury me deep ♪ ♪ Way down on old Chestnut Street ♪ ♪ So I can hear Old Number Nine ♪ ♪ As she goes rolling by ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Please don't tell them what train I'm on ♪ ♪ And they won't know what route I'm going ♪ ("Freight Train" music continues) ("Freight Train" music ends) - Once again from the Corner Field Model Railroad Museum, I'm Jake Kouwe, and it looks like our polka train has finally reached its station.

We hope that you've enjoyed this trip down the tracks today with "The World According to Polka."

And we've got one more tune for you with our good friend Esther Fitz singing some railroad inspired gospel.

♪ This train is bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ I said this train is bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ This train is bound for glory ♪ ♪ Don't carry nothing but the righteous and the holy ♪ ♪ This train is bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ Now, this train don't carry no gamblers, this train ♪ ♪ This train don't carry no gamblers, this train ♪ ♪ This train don't carry no gamblers ♪ ♪ No liars, thieves, nor big shot ramblers ♪ ♪ This train is bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ This train done carried my mother, this train ♪ ♪ This train done carried my mother, this train ♪ ♪ This train done carried my mother ♪ ♪ My mother, my father, and my sister and my brother ♪ ♪ This train, done carried my mother, this train ♪ (jazz solo) (jazz solo continues) (harmonica solo) (harmonica solo continues) (tuba solo) (tuba solo continues) ♪ This train, she's bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ This train, she's bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ This train, she's bound for glory ♪ ♪ If you wanna get to Heaven, ♪ Then you've got to be holy ♪ This train is bound for glory, this train ♪ ♪ I said, this train, she's bound for glory, ♪ ♪ If you wanna get to Heaven ♪ Then you've got to be holy ♪ This train is bound for glory, this train ♪