Website History - The Story Behind Our Website
I'm Matt, and if you've found your way here, you've already stepped into something much bigger than just a collection of songs.
This website started long before I ever thought I'd be the one writing about it. It began with my grandfather, Bob Biehn—a man whose passion for trains wasn't just a hobby, it was part of who he was. To him, trains weren't just steel and tracks. They were stories, history, rhythm… and music.
Some people collect stamps or coins. My grandfather collected train songs.
For years—honestly, more years than I can count—he spent hours every single day searching. I mean really searching. Digging through old websites, scrolling through endless Google results, clicking through YouTube videos one after another. If there was a song about a railroad, a locomotive, a whistle in the night—he wanted it here.
And somehow, he found them. Hundreds of them. Songs spanning over a century. Old folk ballads, country tunes, blues tracks, forgotten recordings… things most people wouldn't even know existed. But he did.
He loved sharing it, too.
I'd get phone calls out of nowhere—"Matt, you won't believe this one I just found." And before I could even respond, he'd already be halfway into explaining the song, where it came from, and why it mattered. You didn't just listen—you learned.
And then there were the business cards.
Not professionally printed ones—no, that wasn't his style. He made them himself on computer paper, cut them out, laminated them, and handed them to just about anyone he thought might appreciate the site. On the front, it read:
"SO FUN - A MUST TRY, some you may like, some you may not, many will be new to everyone"
And instead of a website link? Directions on what to type into Google.
That was him. Practical, persistent, and just a little bit stubborn—in the best way.
But more than anything, he cared. Deeply. About the music, about the history, and about sharing it with anyone willing to listen.
Lately, things have changed. My grandfather's eyesight isn't what it used to be, and the work that once filled his days has become harder for him to continue. So he did something that means more to me than I can really put into words—he trusted me to carry this forward.
I'm his first grandson. And now, I'm the one picking up where he left off.
Music has always meant something to me, too. I've got what people call an "old soul," and I've always been drawn to songs that have history behind them—songs that tell stories. So in a way, this doesn't feel like starting something new. It feels like continuing a conversation we've been having for years.
This site—his site—isn't just a collection of train songs.
It's his time, his curiosity, his persistence, and his love, all built into one place.
And now it's my responsibility to keep it alive.
So as you explore, just know: every song here is part of a legacy. A legacy I'm proud to carry on.