Двадцать два нагеля в рельсу
Объясните дураку, пожалуйста - вот у этого:

"Двадцать два нагеля в рельсу, триста две рельсы на милю, тысячу миль до ворот, о боже, до самых райских ворот!"

- есть ли англоязычный оригинал? И если есть, то как он выглядит?

Я в курсе, что не нагели, а костыли (spike). И что количество костылей на рельс и количество рельс на милю было несколько иным:
"...On they came. A light car, drawn by a single horse, gallops up to the front with its load of rails. Two men seize the end of a rail and start forward, the rest of the gang taking hold by twos, until it is clear of the car. They come forward at a run. At the word of command the rail is dropped in its place, right side up with care, while the same process goes on at the other side of the car. Less than thirty seconds to a rail for each gang, and so four rails go down to the minute. Quick work, you say, but the fellows on the Union Pacific are tremendously in earnest. The moment the car is empty it is tipped over on the side of the track to let the next loaded car pass it, and then it is tipped back again; and it is a sight to see it go flying back for another load, propelled by a horse at a full gallop at the end of 60 or 80 feet of ropes ridden by a young Jehu, who drives furiously. Close behind the first gang come the gaugers, spikers, and bolters, and a lively time they make of it. It is a grand "anvil chorus" that those sturdy sledges are playing across the plains. It is in a triple time, three strokes to the spike. There are 10 spikes to a rail, 400 rails to a mile, 1800 miles to San Francisco--21,000,000 times are those sledges to be swung; 21,000,000 times are they to come down with their sharp punctuation before the great work of modern America is complete."
http://www.nps.gov/archive/gosp/research/track_laying.html
http://cprr.org/Museum/index.html

Все что сумел найти - это Spike Driver Blues
She walked down the yard, caught the longest train she seen
She walked down the yard, caught the longest train she seen
Said, she'd ride and ride "till the blues wear offa me"
It's two bullyin' freight trains runnin' side by side
It's two bullyin' freight trains runnin' side by side
They done stole my rider and I guess they's satisfied
They rode in the Delta, kept on easin' by
They rode in the Delta, kept on easin' by
Know I feel just like she said her last goodbye
Friend, she won't write, she won't telephone
Friend, she won't write, she won't telephone
Makes me believe to my soul rider calls that "gone"1
But if I had wings, friend, like Noah's dove
Friend, if I had wings, friend, like Noah's dove
I would raise and fly, God knows, where my lover was
I laid down at night, I can't sleep at all
I laid down at night, I can't sleep at all
Awful lyin' there wondering if someone rollin' in her arms
Laid my head on my pillow, friends, it be's too high
Laid my head on my pillow, friends, it be's too high
Taken down with, I'm gettin' sick and 'bout to die