Even before the publication of the song, the name  "Casey Jones," was already on many people's lips in southern California thanks to it being the nickname of the snappy new Locomobile which was setting speed and endurance records in the nascent race car field.

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The "Locomobile" started life as a steam-powered automobile out of the Massachusetts workshops of Francis and Freelan Stanley (their car popularly dubbed the "Stanley Steamer") and which briefly enjoyed popularity — as in the 24-hour endurance race it won — when it switched to internal combustion. (Below) 

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That Locomobile exec/driver R.J. Leavitt (lower left, at the wheel) would dub the car the "Casey Jones" — and make Siebert and Newton honorary members of the race team (May 2, below) — shows the song was already popular and his idea a clever bit of successful cross-platform marketing.