Railroad metal

Railroad metal is a style of heavy metal music characterized by its incorporation of railroading history and railfan culture within the music and sometimes in stage performances. Lyrics often use railroading terminology and various musical genres, such as thrash metal, speed metal, folk metal and glam metal, may be combined with folk songs and ballads about trains, such as "The Ballad of Casey Jones", "Cannonball Blues", "Charlie on the MTA" and "Engine One-Forty-Three". Typical folk instruments such as the harmonica and banjo, along with train horns and/or whistles, can be incorporated or emulated with synthesizers. Band members often dress up in railwaymens' outfits during performances, and concert attendees may do so as well.

History and notable bands
The earliest example of railroad metal occurred in 1988, when Swedish heavy metal band Travelogue released their third studio album, Riding the Cannonball. According to Herman Rosen, lead singer of Travelogue, the album's railroading theme was a last-minute decision. Instead, it grew from the album's title song. Eventually, the album's artwork was changed to match the title, and set decorations and costumes for future concerts were designed. The lyrics about railroading and train enthusiasts, along with adaptations of classic American folk ballads about railroading, also became a way to convey the band's political message, since the use of political subtext in their music was being misunderstood due to their glam metal sound and image that was conveyed on their first two albums. Rosen began reading about American railroading history, and found it "very interesting", choosing to incorporate the railroad motif into their music.

In 2003, folk metal band Cannonball No. 38 was formed by cousins Gavin Baffier and Romain Pecqueur. In 2005, they signed to and released their debut studio album Casey Jones' Revenge.

Firebox is another band labelled "railroad metal", known for its "railroad baron" image and humorous stage performances.