Description - The pretty little girl on the train has no ticket. Her father is in prison and going blind; she is going for a pardon. The conductor lets her stay on the train. She meets the governor and is granted a pardon for her father. Despite the original title of "Going for a Pardon", almost every recording is named "East Bound Train" (and has also been called "North Bound Train" or "Lightning Express").
Note: There is an 1898 song called Please Mr. Conductor that is very similar in theme.
Note: Grandpa Jones wrote a different song called East Bound Freight Train which isn't a ballad.