Abe Lincoln's Phantom Train - Real Mystery? or Just Fiction?
Sept 1, 2017 20:11:53 GMT
wanton87 likes this
Post by MCDemuth on Sept 1, 2017 20:11:53 GMT
Abe Lincoln's Phantom Funeral Train - Real Mystery? or Just Fiction?
First Off...
This thread is not about the debate concerning the existance of Ghosts. If you don't believe in Ghosts, please participate in another thread...
This is about how this story stacks up with other ghost stories... Please stay on Topic!
BACKGROUND
Abraham Lincoln's Funeral & Train
Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, and died from his wounds on April 15, 1865...
After the April 15, 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, a three-week series of events mourned his death and memorialized his life. Funeral services were held in Washington, D.C.. and then at additional locations as a funeral train transported his remains for burial in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln's eldest son Robert Todd rode the train to Baltimore and then disembarked and returned to the White House. Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln remained at the White House because she was too distraught to make the trip. Robert took a later train to Springfield for his father's final funeral and burial.
The remains of Lincoln's youngest son, William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) were also placed on the train, which left Washington, D.C., on April 21 at 12:30 pm and traveled 1,654 miles (2,662 km) to Springfield, arriving on May 3. Several stops were made along the way, in which Lincoln's body lay in state. The train retraced the route Lincoln had traveled to Washington as the president-elect on his way to his first inauguration. Millions of Americans viewed the train along the route, and participated in the ceremonies and processions.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_and_burial_of_Abraham_Lincoln
The remains of Lincoln's youngest son, William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) were also placed on the train, which left Washington, D.C., on April 21 at 12:30 pm and traveled 1,654 miles (2,662 km) to Springfield, arriving on May 3. Several stops were made along the way, in which Lincoln's body lay in state. The train retraced the route Lincoln had traveled to Washington as the president-elect on his way to his first inauguration. Millions of Americans viewed the train along the route, and participated in the ceremonies and processions.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_and_burial_of_Abraham_Lincoln
Phantom Funeral Train
He then told of the phantom train that every year comes up the road, with the body of Abraham Lincoln. Regularly in the month of April about midnight, the air on the track becomes very keen and cutting. On either side it is warm and still; every watchman when he feels this air steps off the track and sits down to watch.
Soon after, the pilot engine with long black streams, and a band with black instruments playing dirges, and grinning skeletons sitting all about, will pass up noiselessly, and the very air grows black. If it is moonlight, clouds always come over the moon, and the music seems to linger as if frozen with horror.
A few moments after the phantom train glides by. Flags and streamers hang about. The track ahead seems covered with a black carpet, and the wheels are draped with the same. The coffin of the murdered Lincoln is seen lying on the center of a car, and all about it, in the air, and on the train behind are vast numbers of blue coated men, some with coffins on their backs, others leaning upon them. It seems that all the vast armies of men who died during the war are escorting the phantom train of the President.
The wind, if blowing, dies away at once, and over all the air a solemn hush, almost stifling, prevails. If a train were passing, its noise would be drowned in this silence, and the phantom train would rise over it.
Clocks and watches always stop, and when looked at are found to be from five to eight minutes behind. Everywhere on the road about the 20th of April the time of watches and trains is found suddenly behind. This, said the leading watchman, was from the passage of the phantom train.
mysteriouschicago.com/lincolns-phantom-funeral-train-described-in-1872/
Soon after, the pilot engine with long black streams, and a band with black instruments playing dirges, and grinning skeletons sitting all about, will pass up noiselessly, and the very air grows black. If it is moonlight, clouds always come over the moon, and the music seems to linger as if frozen with horror.
A few moments after the phantom train glides by. Flags and streamers hang about. The track ahead seems covered with a black carpet, and the wheels are draped with the same. The coffin of the murdered Lincoln is seen lying on the center of a car, and all about it, in the air, and on the train behind are vast numbers of blue coated men, some with coffins on their backs, others leaning upon them. It seems that all the vast armies of men who died during the war are escorting the phantom train of the President.
The wind, if blowing, dies away at once, and over all the air a solemn hush, almost stifling, prevails. If a train were passing, its noise would be drowned in this silence, and the phantom train would rise over it.
Clocks and watches always stop, and when looked at are found to be from five to eight minutes behind. Everywhere on the road about the 20th of April the time of watches and trains is found suddenly behind. This, said the leading watchman, was from the passage of the phantom train.
mysteriouschicago.com/lincolns-phantom-funeral-train-described-in-1872/
The Tale is Repeated...
"It turns out that the story was published in the Albany Daily Evening Times on March 23rd, 1872. 1872! Not quite seven years after the actual train had rolled through. This makes it a very early source for Lincoln lore, most of which wouldn’t start to be published for a couple more decades."
"The article was entitled “Waiting for the Train,” and is a story in which a reporter talks to night watchmen who work on the railroads."
"Many books that mention the “phantom train” have quoted from an Albany newspaper that described the ghost train."
"Just about every “Lincoln Ghost Train” story descends from this article."
mysteriouschicago.com/lincolns-phantom-funeral-train-described-in-1872/
"The article was entitled “Waiting for the Train,” and is a story in which a reporter talks to night watchmen who work on the railroads."
"Many books that mention the “phantom train” have quoted from an Albany newspaper that described the ghost train."
"Just about every “Lincoln Ghost Train” story descends from this article."
mysteriouschicago.com/lincolns-phantom-funeral-train-described-in-1872/
Apparent Lack of further "new" reports?
As I noted in the last section, it seems "Just about every “Lincoln Ghost Train” story descends from this 1872 article."
Almost every website I go to, talks about the exact same thing, word for word...
"the phantom train that every year comes up the road"...
Every Year?
There doesn't seem to be any dates, or names of eyewitnesses, or locations, or anything... noting of anything happening after "1872".
In fact, if clocks are affected as the train passes by, then there should be regular reports of clock problems. Even towns would have to send maintenance crews to fix their clock towers and so on...
I can't find anything like this.
People still believe in the Phantom Train...
Even in 2008, 136 years after the 1872 article... People still believe in the Phantom Train, enough, to go looking for it...
www.ghostsofohio.org/lore/ohio_lore_41.html
The Debate... Real Mystery? or Just Fiction?
When I hear this tale, especially since it origins date back to 1872, and that it is so highly detailed with such disturbing images... I think that there must be something to it...
But, because it always the exact same story from 1872, and there are never any dates, or names, or locations to back it up... It does sound like just a story that someone made up, and that it never really existed and/or does NOT still haunt the rails today...at least on the rails that still exist, from 1865. (Not All Still Do!)
Also... This train was NOT involved in an accident & there were no (known) deaths that occurred ON the train during the trip... So I am left to even wonder: Why would there be a Phantom Train at all?...
I'm not sure what to believe... When I compare to other ghost stories that I have heard... This one doesn't seem to hold up as even being a genuine paranormal story...
Could I perhaps be missing something here? Like: Actual documented evidence?
What do you think?
Do you think that the story of "Abe Lincoln's Phantom Funeral Train" holds up to other ghost stories?
Or do you think, that it is all just something that has been overhyped for 136 years, and that people should look elsewhere for more convincing ghost stories.
I have to wonder if Abraham Lincoln's ghost, over at the White House, takes a yearly trip on this Phantom Train?
