Modeling a Ghost Train

[Anonymous]

Hello

I have a fasination with Ghost Trains (even though I don't belive in them) as well as real trains and model railroads. I want to madel a ghost train from the 1800s and I plan to buy a Bachmann 4-4-0 and rivarisso old time passenger cars. I will paint it white and I will make it ghostly looking. Does anybody haveany sugestions?

Nick

[dharmon]

I'd say don't repaint it white. Get some glow in the dark water based paint from a craft store and paint a thin coat over the existing paint. Or even some florescent paint and use a black light...freaky baby!

[Anonymous]

Well, a 4-4-0 is a fitting choice, but I might try some other small Bachmann locomotives such as their mogul, their 0-6-0, or their prarie locomotive.

This might be an interesting project for someone else to try. If you are interested at all in this topic, please post. I would love to hear from ya'll.

Nick

[easyaces]

you could be creative like I did and model "That Long Black Train" from the Jo***urner song. I used a 4-8-4 and tender and about 6 85ft passenger cars painted flat black and heavily weathered for the desired effect. Looks pretty gruesome![}:)]

[Anonymous]

dharmon,

I love your suggestion. I will try that but I'll leave out the black light unless I have visitors.

Nick

Keep the advice and discusions coming

[Anonymous]

easy aces,

do you have any pictures. Please post them or give me a link.
By the way, I love that song.

Nick

[Anonymous]

When I run my ghost train I plan to buy the small soke machine I saw at wall mart and use it while I run the Ghost Train. What do ya'll think.

Locomotive10

Keep the advice and discusions coming

[Paul3]

I got a scary one for you. Did you know that there actually was a "Ghost Train"? Also known as the "White Train", this train was a cooperative effort between the New York, New Haven & Hartford and the New York & New England RR's, running between Boston and New York City in the 1890's. But instead of running up the Shore Line (the NEC), this train cut across CT and RI on a straight line to Boston from New Haven. Since this was before all the drawbridges were completed along the Shore Line, the "White Train" was the premier service in it's short lifespan, and a real "hot" train besides.

For 4 years, the "White Train" ran with specially built Pullman cars with the sides and ends painted a creamy white with gold leaf lettering. The train crew wore special all white uniforms, and even the engineer and the fireman wore white overalls, overcoats, and hats. While the engine remained black, even the coal in the tender was liberally sprayed with whitewash before each run. For a while, the 4-4-0's assigned to the "White Train" had twin oil headlights, making for an odd sight running through the nighttime New England landscape.

This train was a legend in it's own time, and even had a poem written about it:
"Without a jar or roll or antic,
Without a stop at Willimantic..."

Lucius Beebe wrote an article for Trains mag in 1961 about the "White Train", and Alvin Harlow wrote about it in his book, "Steelways of New England", written in the 1940's. Both recounted the story of engineer Gene Potter, a "throttleman of the old school", and his handling of the "White Train".

Seems that the "White Train" was 30 minutes late as it was coming into New Haven from New York, and a passenger in the Parlor was complaining that he was going to miss his connection in Boston. When his friend said that, prehaps, the train would make up some time, the complainer scoffed and said, "The NY&NE never makes up time!" Unknown to both, nearby was the president of the NY&NE, who overheard the whole conversation.

The president called over a Trainman, and said, "When Gene ties on, tell him to make up the time." The Trainman gulped, and, at the station, ran up to the engine and relayed the message. Potter swore, thought about it, and than really ran the wheels off the train, waking up New Englanders along the right of way, making the final stop in Boston exactly on time. The complainer in the Parlor could hardly believe it.

The Superintendant got wind of this event, and issued an order stating that no more than 20 minutes are to be made up on the "White Train".

A month or so later, again the "White Train" was late (25 minutes), and again the president was onboard, but this time he had a dinner engagement in Boston that he needed to go to. Once again, he sent a crewman up front to tell Potter to make up the time. At first, Gene Potter didn't know what to do, and the first few miles were run at normal speed. But then he rationalized that a president outranks a Superintendant, so he again ran the wheels off her and got the train into Boston on time.

When the Superintendant heard about it, he issued a summons to his office to Potter, who was no doubt about to be chewed out. While walking down the hall to the Superintendant's office, Gene ran into the president. The president recongnized him, and complimented him on his fine run of the other night.

Gene replied, "Thank you, sir, but I'm about to get into a little trouble for it." When the president raised his eyebrow, Potter showed him the summons. The president read it, and then suddenly smiled a boyish grin.

He said, "Would you like me to go in your place, Gene?"

Gene said that it would be all right with him.

The president went into the Superintendant's office, and no more was ever said about Gene Potter making up time on the "White Train".

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[Anonymous]

Dear Paul3,

The book I bought contained this story and It did not have the details like your version. Thank you for clearing this story up for me. Do you have any suggestions for the items used in the train? Does anybody else have sugestions that I could try to?

Nick

[Anonymous]

My favourite Ghost Stories are as follows

1. The Warsaw Ghost Train 2. Yazoo and Mississippi Ghost Train
3. Glowing Eyes on the Track.

I like all of the stories in the book but these are my favourite

Nick

[Anonymous]

Hey Ya'll

I have come up with a reason for the Ghost Train to appear. See Strory Below

Along time ago, a special express train was made up for the forth of July. The Train Consisted of a High Driverd Steam locomotive and three yellow wooden passenger cars. When the Express got up to speed, It ran through the cutting near the station and then over a high curved bridge. Suddenly, the train slowed and the engineer reversed to the station as the fireman had taken ill and he could not lift a shovel. When the new fireman boarded, the engineer started to twitch uncontrolably.Noticing this strange event, the fireman walked back to the small bobber cabboose to tell the conductor that something was wrong. When he reboarded the engine, The engineer was still twitching and his face had turned pure white. Suddenly, The engineer threw the throotle wide open and started laughing evily while the fireman was thrown clear of the train. It neared the curved steel bridge at a very fast clip. The bridge was not strong enough to hold fast trains and the trestle collapeds under the engine but sparing the passenger cars and the caboose as it fell to the bottom of the deep canyon. Now every night the ghost of the train returns run over the entire line at night with a wild eyed engineer at the throtle with the passengers horrified shillouittes can be seen throught the window while th conductor trys franticly to turn the brake wheel.

That is why the ghost train appears

Nick

[Anonymous]

How (and why) did the engineer start twitching?

[AltonFan]

Passenger trains normally did not have a caboose.

[dharmon]

Woooo EEEEE oooooo

More tales from the Eeeeerie Lackawanna

[tstage]

I'm going to be the stick in the mud here. Don't waste a good product! Spend your time depicting a REAL 4-4-0 chugging into Carson City (or some other western town) at dusk. Realism...THAT'S where it's at, guys!!!

[insert howling coyote clip at this point.] [:0]

[areibel]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

How (and why) did the engineer start twitching?

Several possible reasons-
1. Someone started another UP bashing thread?
2. He saw the prices of the latest RTR units from Lionel, Broadway, Trix, etc..
3. He read the entire "Coffe Shop" at one sitting?
4. Yet another manufacturer is releasing their F units?

Any more?

[Anonymous]

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20233

check out this topic for others input on ghost trains.
=============================================================

Jenny

The railroad reached Harpers Ferry in 1833, linking the town with the east, and part of the track passed through the Armory Yard. Years before, in the building of the Armory, storage sheds were built along the river bank. Upon completion of the armory, when the sheds were no longer needed, they were neglected and finally abandoned. Now some of the less fortunate people in town occupied these teetering shacks, making them their homes. Jenny was one of the sad but lucky people living there through steamy summers and cruel winters.
One chilly night, Jenny got so close to her fireplace, her ragged dress caught fire. In panic, she fled from her shack, ran down the railroad tracks, and was struck and killed by the night train.
Today, engineers from nearby towns tell us they do not like coming through Harpers Ferry on misty nights. They often see a ball of fire careening wildly down the tracks emitting unearthly screams. They try to stop their diesels, but never in time. There is a bump, and when they finally get their train stopped, they investigate, but find nothing. The railroaders know Jenny has made another trip down the tracks desperately seeking help.
Watch and listen as the trains pass this point in the old armory yard. You will be able to tell which engineers have met screaming Jenny by the slack speed they guide their trains over this section of track.
Sometimes in the night, you will hear some train conductors, wildly blowing their whistle. You'll know then that Jenny has once again returned.


Would be interesting to find an engineer who has had this experience.

[Anonymous]

Let Me Clear it up,

How and why the engineer started twitching is because he was going stark raving mad as thuogh something had clicked. Some people in the town didn't belive it was a ghost train until their friends dragged them to the trestle and showed them the battered locomotive down in the bottom of the canyon and soon the ghost train rolls over the trestle. The caboose is there because the locomotive had faulty braking and had not been fixed. Why they chose this engine is because this was the strongest locomotive on the line (This was well before desils, in the days od woodburing 4-4-0 and open platform wooden passenger cars.

Nick

[lupo]

You could use retroreflecting paint ( aka road marking paint ) to paint the figures on the train, the uncolored version I have is dull grey , but when you shine a lite on it [8D] the figures should light up
( did not test it on figures yet, due to its structure it will obscure some of the detail )

[CBQ_Guy]

It's easy to model a ghost train, and very affordable.

Just include the rolling stock and all the cars you couldn't get over the years due to limited runs! [sigh]

[railman]

This would work on a DCC layout really well...all of a sudden (controlled secretly from the heavens...i.e. the break room) a ghostly 4-4-0 and cars in tow suddenly appears on the line, shocking the crew running the Dash 9 freight on the other track...this train cruises around awhile, causes some penalty braking, then melts away into the staging yard...dooOOOOooooOOOO....the gag would probably work just once before some "Ghostbuster" figured it out.

[Anonymous]

i think it is a great idea locomotive10, got me thinking about one now. please show pic if you decide to do it.

[KenK]

One of my friends built the Aurora "Ghost Ship" sailing ship kit. He painted it black and
then dry-brushed it with glow-in-the-dark paint. It does look genuinely "spooky" in the
dark!

[Anonymous]

hey ya'll


those are great ideas. if you have any ghost train stories, please post them.

nick

[Anonymous]

By the way,

Last night built large figure * layout with Bachmann e-z track and a 30 degree crosover.
Runs 2 trains (3 with DCC) and I love operating My Bachmann 0-6-0 with anm Atlantic Coast Line Athern "Saratosa" Diner and a Jupiter 4-4-0 with a string offright ars in DC to have hands on operation.

However, I have a siding in the tunnel under my bed for the Ghost Train. I have scared plenty a crew on my DCC Mikado and Geep.

Nick

I used Bachmann 4-4-0 and Rivvarriso Old Time coaches. Glow in the dark paint a little bit of cut up white cloth. Loks magnificent with the lights turned out.

[TurboOne]

Nick great idea. With the availability halloween items, you could really do some neat stuff. The earlyier glow in the dark idea is great, I do like the black light as well, some cobwebs, plenty of ghosts are available, and you gotta have scary sounds and a good story for you layout.

Tim

[56chevytimes2]

Here is a source for blacklight paint https://www.clearneon.com/products.php . I plan on running a ghost train on my lay out as well . I also think the paint would work to do stars and a moon that only show up when the blacklights are on.



Kurt 56chevytimes2

[Anonymous]

I'd like to do one with something. But 1. I have no where to hide it and 2. I have nothing to make it with