The Gandy Dancers .... were a name for railroad section gangs in the
days before modern mechanised track upkeep. The men were called dancers for
their synchronised movements when repairing track under the direction of the
‘caller’ The name "gandy" supposedly came from a belief that their
hand tools once came from the Gandy tool company in Chicago (though no
researcher has ever turned up such a company that made railroad tools). More
likely, name was derived from gander because the flat-footed steps of the workmen when lining track resembled the
way that geese walk. Read more (PDF)
The Gandy Dancers - Original Song
