For those whose business is folk music of any kind — roots or its many branches — the "Folk Train" was the way to go. The Silver Meteor overnighter to Florida provided an extra day (and night) of camaraderie and low-pressure schmoozing on the way to this year’s Folk Alliance, a five-day conference of music, workshops, hobnobbing and O, Brother-ly love.

Some familiar names jumped on when the train rolled through Philly: singer/songwriter John Flynn, WXPN’s Gene Shay and WDIY’s Mike Space, who recently became the artistic director of Bethlehem’s Godfrey Daniels. Local talent buyers like David Broida (Concerts Under the Stars), Dianne Tankle (Folksong Society) and Ginger Osborne (Cherry Tree) were also Alliance-bound. The train added folks all the way from Boston and connected with Canadians before slipping down along Lake George on the Adirondacks. It was car after car of acoustic music. A few passengers not headed to the conference probably wished they’d chose other trains.

One happy accident brought a talent buyer from NYC into the club car during a late-night round-robin jam. He assured me he hired four different artists on the spot. That car was where Flynn introduced his latest, "Minnie Lou," the Caribbean groove that offers some money-saving advice for Ashcroft that doesn’t involve putting $8,000 shawls on statues. Laughter is indeed the best medicine, especially for queasiness from the government (and long train rides). Everybody joined in on the chorus, "Police won’t let you drive about/ When you’ve got a headlight out." The train got to Florida in no time.

Luckily for conference-goers, Jacksonville — this year’s site of the roving Folk Alliance — lacks hip neighborhoods that would lure us away from the pleasant business of music. The main stroll was to the Florida Theater, an elegantly restored relic, where the evening showcases and lifetime achievement awards were held.

Awards. Anybody else shiver with boredom when they hear that word? I managed to avoid most of the ceremonies, though I deeply respect lifetime-achievement award recipients Hazel Dickens and the late Bill Monroe. Let’s hope the 66-year-old Dickens will enjoy some of the interest in mountain music that O Brother’s recent Grammy win generated. Tom Paxton also received a lifetime achievement award, but from ASCAP rather than the Folk Alliance. Since it was raining, I sat through that one ceremony. True to form, it felt like a hemorrhoid-cream commercial, as I squirmed in my seat and tried to look polite. Letter after letter from colleagues droned on about what a fine, humble fellow Tom Paxton is and what great songs he still writes ("Rambling Boy," "Changing My Name to Chrysler"). All that built till Paxton finally took the stage and said, "Thanks, all I ever wanted was to be a part of this community, where a plain song is appreciated." Not just humble, but sincere — and brief.

Back at the hotel, music played around the clock from Wednesday to Sunday. Raves about the booking-agent training course echoed throughout evening activities. The workshops lasted all day, all four days, which leads into the FA’s biggest problem: too many fascinating workshops going on simultaneously. Conference attendees had to settle for inexpensive audio cassettes of missed workshops.

Booking agents and lawyers earning continuing-education credits missed out on some fascinating discussions, including "Artist’s Responsibilities in the Face of Social Action," presented by the Network of Cultural Centers of Color, whose conference hooked up with the Folk Alliance this year. During that panel, Ife Ile of Miami spent an hour and a half exploring Afro-Cuban drumming, dancing and prayer, and its evolution into today’s salsa.

The music at the sacred steel demonstration was righteous. Everyone swayed and clapped, and even the hotel staff risked management wrath to slip in the back of the room and shout encouragement to the testifying players. Private showcases generally complemented the formal workshops.

The Welsh pibgorn and triple harp workshops came complete with dancers demonstrating the steps. The pibgorn is two cow’s horns end to end that produce a reedy sound. Two played in harmony is great fun, even more so when you recognize that the big buildup to the recently rediscovered ancient Welsh ballad is "It’s Not Unusual." Think Tom Jones with medieval accompaniment.

The Swedes were back in force this year, with the consulate doling out tastes of aquavit along with samples of music from all over Scandinavia. Nåra featured legendary Swedish fiddler Björn Ståbi, who jigged while pumping out perfect melodies. Canadian fiddler April Verch, who is also famed for dancing while playing, was seen nightly showcasing for the Azalea City label. The imprint boasts of being artist-owned and -operated and "putting the folk back in music." At the Folk Alliance they preached to the converted, but it was a message the outside world is starting to catch onto.