Ghostly Lincoln Funeral Train

It's just 3 1/2 months away .... make your plans now .... Get your spot
picked, your EMFs ready, your digital cameras (IR cameras are best, but
sooooooo expensive!), your EVP recorder batteries charged ...

There are tons and tons of stories about the Ghostly Lincoln Funeral Train.
I have always wanted to camp out and see what I could see. Perhaps
this year I'll finally get a chance.



The route of the Lincoln Funeral Train, which the ghost train follows -
members.aol.com...

Excellent site with pictures of the Funeral Train (earthly, not ghostly) and maps -
www.eliillinois.org...

Ohio sighting of the Lincoln Funeral Train
www.forgottenoh.com...

More from Ohio on the Lincoln Funeral Train
www.lincoln-highway-museum.org...

This would be a good opp for board members to investigate paranormal activity. Maybe a research group should be started on it, if the sighting is that regular?

Anyone have details on where it suppose to be seen in columbus?

Sounds interesting. I might have to check this out.

I've been hearing about this tale for quite a long time,but never met someone who had "hard news" about the phenomena. No direct witnesses, no references, etc. Since it's supposed to be an event recurring on regular basis, many people should have seen it, and perhaps even photographed it. I think it's one of those ghost tales that emerged from the blood-soaked battlegrounds of the Civil War, like Shiloh or Chickamauga.

Originally posted by Strigoi
Anyone have details on where it suppose to be seen in columbus?

It (allegedly) follows the exact same route as the Funeral Train
and at the same day/time. I have a few map links provided on
my first posting.

I have a video of the funeral train. It's called (of course)
The Lincoln Funeral train, a documentary by Bill Warrick.
The back of the video says they have a catalog at
www.herronrail.com. Perhaps someone there might have
info on exact rail lines. Other way to find out .... go to where
the funeral train went through, and ask some of the oldsters
who work the lines if they have heard of it ...

I KNOW the train went by us here and went into Philly. I don't
know exactly which line. I plan to go and ask at the main Philly
train station.

Folks who work trains and boats tend to pay attention to these
types of things ... at least that's been my experience.

Originally posted by Nygdan
This would be a good opp for board members to investigate paranormal activity. Maybe a research group should be started on it, if the sighting is that regular?

EXCELLENT idea. We have three months to get ready. Anyone want
to do this in his/her area and report back? I REALLY want to try to do
this. I THINK the train route follows route 30, from Philly to York. I have
to check it out. If so .. that's where I'll be - at Route 30 near Strausburg
just east of Lancaster PA.

FlyersFan, kudos to you for posting this with plenty of time to organise things. It would be VERY cool
to get some images

Sanc'.

Are there any ATSers in the philly-york region then? Or any that might be taking a vacation to amish country and could possibly collaborate? I know that I will not be in the region at that time, but apparently flyers fan will be. Perhaps some of the more technically experience ATSers not in the region can give advisement on conducting the investigation, IR photography, etc etc???

I think we could possibly get ATSers who wouldn't mind a sping time
camp out somewhere along these tracks. We'd have to check with
local folks to see if they know which tracks were used. Night time is
when the apparitions are the best. Daytime you get the stopped
watches and the dead silence for 5 minutes, but at night you get
that PLUS the apparition (if you are lucky)

Everyone would have to be very careful too.


[edit on 12/30/2004 by FlyersFan]

[edit on 12/30/2004 by FlyersFan]

Okay ... here it is ... 6 weeks later ....
Anyone planning on doing this?

ANOTHER YEAR – ANOTHER CHANCE

I am posting this 6 weeks before the anniversary of Lincolns death so that
ya’ll can have time to get ready and make preparations if you wish to
ghost hunt the train. The name of Lincolns train was ‘the United States’. I
believe it is no longer in existence, having burned to the ground.

*Important note – if you stake out the ghost train remember that there
was a pilot engine that went first. It was 10 minutes ahead of the actual
funeral train, which was 9 train cars long. Also remember that the funeral
train was up to 20 minutes off schedule at some points, but generally on
time at the start and end of the day. I do not know what effect, if any,
Daylight Savings Time does to the times. Someone with math skills will
have to check the history of Daylight Savings Time, the season involved,
and if it changes the ‘stake out’ times discussed here.

Another important note – some of the times listed in the books differed
from each other – but only by 20 minutes or less. I used the time that was
most quoted. If you decide to stake out for the ghost train, don’t leave
after 3 minutes. Get there at least 20 min early and stay at least 20 min
after the posted time. Give it some time on either side of the posted time
… just in case someone’s pocket watch wasn’t working well 150 years ago.

I have listed the railroads (companies) used. If there are multiple tracks in
the area, this will help with finding which track you wish to keep an eye
on. Of course – many tracks are side by side, so that won’t be a problem.


This information is all from BOOKS so there are no links – unless you find
one from one of the others previously listed. I scrounged this info from the
Lincoln books that I have.

BASIC SCHEDULE of FUNERAL TRAIN ROUTE

April 21 (falls on Friday this year)
Washington DC to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Via Baltimore and Ohio Railroad – Washington DC to B’More Maryland (Camden Station)
Via Northern Central Railway – NC Ry Station, B’More to Harrisburg, PA
DEPART DC at 8:00 AM ARRIVE B’More 10:00 AM Camden Station
DEPART B’More 3:10 PM NC Ry Station ARRIVE Harrisburg 8:35 PM

April 22 (falls on Saturday this year)
Harrisburg to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Via Pennsylvania Railroad DEPART Harrisburg 11:15 AM,
ARRIVE Philly 4:50 PM

April 24 (Falls on Monday this year) Philly to NYC
Via Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad
DEPART Philly 4:00 AM Kensington Station
Switch – Camden and Amboy Railroad.
Switch - New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Co.
ARRIVE Jersey City, NJ 10:00 AM via ferry boat NJ to NYC.
ARRIVE 11:00 AM NYC

April 25 (Falls on Tuesday this year) NYC to Albany New York
** Many sightings reported on this leg of the route – night trip.
Via Hudson River Railroad
DEPART NYC 4:15 PM from Hudson River RR depot.
ARRIVE Albany 10:55 pm

April 26-27 Albany NY to Buffalo NY
** Many sightings reported on this leg of the route – All night trip.
Via New York Central Railroad
DEPART Albany 4:00 PM
ARRIVE Buffalo 7:00 AM

April 27-28 Buffalo NY to Cleveland Ohio
** Some sightings reported – late night trip.
Via Buffalo and State Line Railroad and the Cleveland and Erie Railroad
DEPART Buffalo, NY 10:00 PM
ARRIVE Cleveland 7:00AM at Cleveland Union Depot.
Took Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad to Euclild Street Station.

April 29 Cleveland Ohio to Columbus, Ohio
* Some sightings reported – late night trip.
Via Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railway
DEPART Cleveland midnight from Euclid Street Station.
ARRIVE Columbus 7:00 AM Union Depot

April 29-30 Columbus Ohio to Indianapolis Indiana
Via Columbus and Indianapolis Central Railroad
DEPART Columbus 8:00 PM C & IC Depot
ARRIVE Indianapolis 7:00 AM

May 1 Indianapolis Indiana to Chicago Illinois
Via Indianapolis and LaFayette Railroad;
Louisville, New Albany & Chicago, Railroad;
Michigan Central Railroad
DEPART Indianapolis midnight,
ARRIVE Chicago 11:00 AM

May 2-3 Chicago, Illinois to Springfield Illinois
** No sightings reported at this leg. Some believe
that is because Lincoln isn’t really buried in Springfield
and that his Ghost (and thus the Ghost Train) don’t
finish the journey to Springfield. (there’s a conspiracy for ya’!!)
Via Chicago and Alton Railroad
DEPART Chicago 9:30 PM
ARRIVE Springfield 9:00 AM

Originally posted by Strigoi
Anyone have details on where it suppose to be seen in columbus?

CLEVELAND to COLUMBUS

The train departed Cleveland from the Vineyard Street Station at the end of Superior Street.

Cleveland 12:00 midnight, Berea 12:43 am, CROSSED ROCKY RIVER, Olmsted 12:51 am, Columbia 1:02 am, N. Eaton, Grafton 1:23 am, La Grange 1:37 am, Wellington 2:00 am, Rochester 2:17 am, New London 2:36 am, Greenwich 2:59 am, Shiloh 3:19 am, Shelby 3:39 am, Vernon, Crestline 4:07 am, Galion 4:20 am, Iberia 4:41 am, Gilead 5:05 am, Cardington 5:20 am, Ashley 5:43 am, Eden 5:55 am, Berlin 6:19 am, Lewis Centre 6:32 am, Orange 6:37 am, Worthington 6:56 am, Columbus 7:30 am. Union Depot on High Street


COLUMBUS to INDIANAPOLIS

Left Columbus from the Union Depot on the Columbus and Indianapolis Central Ry at 8:00 pm. Crossed Olentangy and Scioto Rivers, Hillard, Pleasant Vally 8:45 pm, Unionville 9:00 pm, Milford, Woodstock 9:46 pm, Cable 10:13 pm, Urbana 10:40 pm, Rice, Westville Station, St. Paris – stopped briefly near Springfield Street for public memorial, Conover, Piqua 12:20 am April 30 – crossing Main Street and Wayne Street, Covington, Union City Junction (also called Bradford), Gettysburg 1:10 am, Greenville 1:36 am, Weaver’s Station, New Madison, Wiley’s Station, New Paris, 2:41 am, Richmond (Station near “E” street and Fort Wayne Ave, Depot C&IC RY) 3:00 am and stayed for about one hour. The train then continued on C&IC Railway through Centerville, Germantown, Cambridge City 4:15 am, Dublin 4:27 am, Lewisville, Knightstown 5:00 am, Charlottesville 5:40 am, Greenfield, Philadelphia 5:57 am, Cumberland 6:30 am, Indianapolis 7:00 am at the Indianapolis Union Station. The Indianapolis Union Station looks to be at the South end of Illinois street by my map – 6 blocks South East of the Indiana State House.

DETAILED ROUTE – with times, towns, and dates.

WASHINGTON DC – Funeral train originates at the New Jersey Street
Station, Baltimore and Ohio station. This was at the intersection of New
Jersey Ave and “C” street. (2 blocks from the Capital). It is no longer
there. The train followed the tracks two city blocks to Delaware Street,
then went four blocks and turned onto “I” street, and then four more
blocks before turning right and heading out of the city.

ROUTE to B’MORE – Left DC at 8:00 AM. Went through Bladensburg, Paint
Branch, Beltsville, White Oak Bottom, Laurel, Savage, Annapolis Jct.,
Jessups Cut, Elkridge Landing, Relay House, St. Denis, and arrived at
Camden Station B’More at 10:00 AM

ROUTE from B’MORE to Harrisburg – The train was moved to Calvert
Station, Northern Central Railway line. It left Baltimore at 3:00 pm and
went north to Harrisburg going through the following towns at the
following times – Bolton 3:06 pm, Mt. Washington, Relay 3:27 pm,
Somerville, Timonium 3:41 pm, Cockeysville 3:56 pm, Sparks 4:14 pm,
Monkstown 4:27 pm, Parkton 4:50 pm, Freeland 5:10 pm, Glen Rock 5:42
pm, Hanover Jct. 5:55 pm, Gladfelter’s 6:03 pm, York 6:50 pm , Coldsboro
7:21 pm, Redbank 7:39 pm, Bridgeport 7:55, crossed the Cumberland
Valley Bridge using the Cumberland Valley Railroad and went into
Harrisburg at 8:10 pm. It came to a stop at the station 8:35 pm. The map
that I’m looking at has the Pennsylvania RR Depot as the place where the
train stopped.

** NOTE – this is NOT the Market Street bridge that was used.

ROUTE – Harrisburg to Lancaster to Philly (different books have different
times in some of the towns – such as Middletoiwn at 11:45, Elizabethtown
at 12:15 pm, Lancaster at 1:05 pm, Penningtonville at 2:05 pm,
Parkersburg 2:15 pm, Coatsville 2:30 pm, Downington 2:50 pm … but all
times listed are within 20 minutes of these)

Harrisburg, 11:00 am, Highspire 11:19 am, Middletown, 11:30 am, Branch Intersection 11:33 am, Conewago Siding 11:46 am, Elizabethtown, 11:55
am, Kuhnz’s Siding, 12:04 pm, Mount Joy 12:14 pm, Landisville 12:27 pm,
Kauffman’s Siding 12:37 pm, Dillersville 12:47 pm, Lancaster 12:55 pm,
Bird-in-hand 1:15 pm, Gordonville 1:25 pm, Leaman Place 1:28 pm, Kinzer’s
1:37 pm, Gap 1:46 pm, Christiana 1:58 pm, Penningtonville 1:57 pm,
Parkesburg 2:06 pm, Chandler’s 2:11 pm, Coatesville 2:20 pm,
Gallagherville 2:36 pm, Downington 2:43 pm, Oakland 2:55 pm, Steamboat
3:04 pm, West Chester Int 3:15 pm, Paoli 3:21 pm, Eagle 3:33 pm,
Morgan’s Corner 3:41 pm, White Hall 3:50 pm, City Avenue 4:04 pm, West
Philadelphia 4:17 pm, Balto Depot 4:30 pm. (some reports have the train
arriving at 4:50 pm)

The train came into Mantua, then West Philly over the “main Line’ of the
Pennsylvania Railroad. It crossed the Schuylkill River and onto the track of
the Junction Railway and then the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
Railroad. It stayed on this track for one mile to the depot at Broad and
Prime Streets. After the funeral procession started, the train itself was
moved to the West side of Philadelphia. It was moved down the Market
Street line and the two funeral cars were seen at the Pennsylvania Depot
at 13th and Market Streets. The train was also seen at the PRR Market
Street Station near Independence Hall while it was being moved to
Kensington Station.

*NOTE – I THINK this is near Hard Rock Café in Philly. I seem to remember
that there is an old train depot next door to it and that it was converted
into shops.

PHILLY to NYC

Depart Kensington Station Philly at 4:00 am. Phlly to Trenton the tracks ran
parallel with the Delaware River. Through Bridesburg, Wissinoming, Tacony,
Holmsburg, Penny PO, Pierson’s Torresdale, Bories, Andalusia, Cornwell’s,
Eddington, Schenck, Bristol PA 5:00 am, Old Spring, Tully Town, Wheat
Sheaf, Penn Valley, Morrisville, Trenton NJ 5:30 am. (after a stop over -
departed 6:15 ) From here it ran parallel with the Raritan Canal to near
Princeton Junction and passed Princeton NJ at 6:45 am, Plainsboro,
Monmouth Jct, Dean’s Pond, Millstone Jct, New Brunswick 7:55 am (some
have 7:35), Piscataway, Metuchen 8:07 am, Union Town, Houghtonville,
Rahway 8:34 am, Linden, Elizabeth 8:45 am, Waverly Park, Newark Market
Street Station at 9:15 am, Jersey City 9:50 am, New York by Ferry Boat
10:00 am, Arrive NYC 10:50 am

The train came across from The Exchange Place in Jersey City to
DesBrosses St. Ferry – where the coffins were received. The Train was
stored at the Hudson River depot, at the South end of Hudson Street,
while the funeral went on in NYC.

NYC to ALBANY

From the Depot on Tenth Ave, to temp tracks from Eleventh Ave up to 60th
Street and then followed the Hudson River out of NYC.

DEPART NYC – 4:00 pm, Manhattan 4:30 pm, Yonkers 4:45 pm, Dobb’s
Ferry 5:00 pm, Irvington 5:07 pm, Terrytown 5:15 pm, Sing Sing 5:30 pm,
Peekskill 6:00 pm, Garrison’s 6:26 pm, Cold Spring 6:33 pm, Fishkill 6:50
pm, New Hamburgh 7:06 pm, Po’Keepsie 7:40 pm, Hyde Park 7:56 pm,
Staatsburgh 8:08 pm, Rhinebech 8:34 pm, Barrytown 8:40 pm, Tivoli 8:52, Germantown 9:10 pm, Catskill 9:27 pm, Hudson 9:41 pm, Stockport 9:52
pm, Coxsacki 10:00 pm, Stuyvesant 10:07 pm, Schodack 10:36 pm,
Castleton 10:365 pm, East Albany 10:55 pm.

The map I am looking at of the train route into Albany has the train
crossing the Hudson River from Troy to Cohoes station and then down into
Albany. The coffins were unloaded at East Albany and taken across to
Albany, but the train the long route to Troy/Cohoes. There have been no
ghost ferries reported being seen with the Coffins of Lincoln and his son
Willie.

ALBANY to BUFFALO

Albany 4:00 pm, Schenectady 4:45 pm, Hoffman’s 5:08 pm, Cranesville
5:18 pm, Amsterdam 5:25 pm, Tribes Hill 5:40 pm, Fonda 5:45 pm, Yosts
6:08 pm, Palatine Bridge 6:25 pm, Fort Plain 6:32 pm, MEAL STOP at St.
Johnsonville 6:47-7:00 pm, East Creek 7:07 pm, Little Falls 7:35 pm,
Herkimer 7:50 pm, Llion 7:56 pm, Frankfort 8:02 pm, Utica 8:25 – 8:40 pm,
Whitesboro 8:55 pm, Oriskany 9:03 pm, Rome 9:15 pm, CROSS ERIE
CANAL , Green’s Corners 9:27 pm, Verona 9:38 pm, Oneida 9:50 pm,
Wampsville 9:58 pm, Canastota 10:05 pm, Canaseraga 10:14 pm, CROSS
ERIE CANAL, Kirkville 10:36 pm, Manlius 10:43 pm, Syracuse 11:15 –11:30
pm, Warners 11:54 pm, Memphis 12:00 midnight, CROSS ERIE CANAL,
Jordan 12:14 am, Weedsport 12:26 am, Port Byron 12:40 am, Savannah
12:40 am, Clyde 1:15 am, Lyons 1:25 am, CROSS ERIE CANAL, Newark
1:50 am, Palmyra 2:15 am, Macedon 2:27 am, Fairport 2:50 am, Brighton,
CROSS ERIE CANAL, Rochester 3:20-3:35 am, Coldwater 3:55 am, Chili
4:08 am, Churchville 4:20 am, Bergen 4:30 am, West Bergen 4:40 am,
Byron 4:50 am, Batavia 5:18 am, Crofts 5:35 am, Corfu 5:50 am, Alden
6:03 am, Wende 6:11 am, Town Line 6:16 am, Lancaster 6:30 am, Forks
6:37 am, Buffalo 7:00 am at the Exchange Street Depot.

The train arrived via New York Central RR from Albany and departed to
Cleveland on the Buffalo and Erie Railroad lines leaving from the same
Exchange Street Depot.

BUFFALO to CLEVELAND

Buffalo 10:10 pm, Hamburgh 10:40 pm, North Evans 10:55 pm, Angola
11:13 pm, Parnham 11:28 pm, Irving 1:35 pm, Silver Creek 11:45 pm,
Dunkirk 12:10 am, Brocton 12:30 am, Portland 11:35 am, Westfield 1:00
am, Ripley Crossing 1:15 am, Ripley 1:24 am, State Line 1:32 am, North
East 1:47, Moreheads 1:57 am, Harbor Creek 2:03 am, Wesleyville, Erie
2:50 am ( arrived 20 min late - CHANGE RAILROADS – train behind
schedule) Mill Creek, Swanville, Fairview, crossed Walnut Creek, Girard,
Springfield Station. Left Pennsylvania at 3:30 am.
Conneaut 3:37 am, Kingsville, Ashtabula 5:00 am, Saybrook, Geneva,
Unionville, Madison, Perry, Lane, Painesville, CROSS GRAND RIVER, Mentor,
Willoughby 6:08 am, CROSS CHAGRIN RIVER, Wickliffe 6:20 am, Euclid.
Entered Cleveland on a track that three miles before Union Depot run
along the shores of Lake Erie on the ‘Lake Shore track’. Stopped in
Cleveland at 7:00 am. The train moved to the Euclid Street Station on the
east side of Cleveland arriving at 7:20 am.

MORE Details of the route with times, towns, and tracks -

INDIANAPOLIS to CHICAGO

Left at midnight via LaFayette and Inianapolis Railroad departed
Indianapolis Union Station on tracks that ran parallel with Central Canal for
first few miles. A mile from the canal the tracks crossed the White River
and Crooked Creek. From there – Augusta Station 12:30 am, Zionsville
12:40 am, Whitestown 1:07 am, Lebanon 1:30 am, Hazlebrigg Station 1:40
am, Thorntown 2:10 am, Colfax, Clarks Hill 2:40 am, Stockwell 2:50 am,
Culvers Station, Lafayette Junction – SWITCHED TRACKS to Louisville, New
Albany and Chicago Railroad. Traveled through Lafayette 3:20 am, down
Fifth Street, at 5 mph. Left Lafayette on tracks that ran parallel with
Wabash and Erie Canal for one mile, then one mile further it crossed the
Wabash River. Went through Battleground 3:55 am, Brookston, Chalmers,
Reynolds, Bradford (Monon), Francisville (either 4:40 or 5:45 am – large
difference recorded in the books), Medaryville (described as passing this at
sunrise), San Pierre 6:25 am, CROSSED KANKAKEE RIVER, La Crosse,
Wanatah, Haskells, Westville 7:40 am, LaCroix (Otis) 7:50 am, Michigan
City, SWITCHED TRACKS to Michigan Central Railroad, departed Michigan
City (7:45- 8:45 am), Lake Station 9:30 am, Tollestone, Gibsons Station
10:05 am, Kensington Junction, Calumet 10:30 am, Chicago 11:00 am. In
Chicago it did NOT go to Great Central Station. It stopped at a temporary
platform at Park Row one mile south on Lake Michigan. The train later
went to Great Central Station and was moved again to Chicago and Alton
Depot on Canal Street for the departure on May 2 on the Chicago and
Alton Railroad lines.

CHICAGO to SPRINGFIELD (no ghostly train sightings – speculation of a
conspiracy that Lincoln’s ghost doesn’t go this route because his body
never really did and it isn’t buried in Springfield)

Chicago 9:30 pm from the C&A Depot on Canal Street, Ft. Wayne Junction,
Bridgeport, Summit, Joy’s Lemont, Lockport 11:33 pm, Joliet Midnight,
Elwood, Hampton, Wilmington, Stewart’s Grove, Braceville, Gardner, Dwight
2:00 am, Odell, Cayuga, Pontiac, Ocoya, Chenoa, Lexington 4:05 am,
Towanda 4:30 am, Bloomington 5:00 am, Shirley, Funk’s Grove 5:30 am,
McLean, Atlanta, Lawn Dale, Lincoln 7:00 am, Broadwell, Elkhart,
Williamsville, Sherman Station, Sangamon, Springfield 9:00 am arrival
Jefferson Street Station of the Chicago and Alton Railroad on May 3rd.

Originally posted by theghost88
Sounds interesting. I might have to check this out.

You are in Toronto? I suggest the Albany to Buffalo leg of
the journey. It is all at night, quiet, and wide open country
so you should be able to pick a spot and stake it out without
much of a chance of folks bugging ya'.

I'm taking a vacation, but before I go I thought I'd BUMP this thread up.

I started this back in 2004. This has info on the Lincoln Ghost Train which makes it's trip every April. I figured there were new people here who haven't seen this, and there 'oldsters' who might like to take another look at this.

*BUMP*

Just stopping by to get info from this thread .... thinking of running a ghost hunt in upper state New York ...

Did this in Philly last year. Got nothing ...

Ohio sighting of the Lincoln Funeral Train
www.forgottenoh.com...
//www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/WHMC/WHMC-LFTR-01.html[/url]

Never one to a priori disbelieve anything, I visited the site above.

It looked like a promising (if very short) read... until it mentioned "grinning skeletons".
Now that I call a dead giveaway, if there ever was one.

But I do hope you have an interesting sighting, whatever it may be. ;-)







[edit on 29-2-2008 by Vanitas]

tyvm flyers

Erie PA April 28
Friday
2:50 a.m

Ill be there!!!

Ill even take my digital camera!

i wanna see the ghost train of honest abe!!

this is gonna be sweet!

now i just gotta find out which train track is the "Old tracks" so i will know where to sit and wait..