In August 1943, a Lackawanna train engineer speeding through upstate New York found himself on a collision course with disaster. As he navigated a bend at 70 miles per hour, another locomotive suddenly pulled onto the track. A devastating crash ensued, resulting in over 171 deaths and injuries. The tragedy worsened when one of the passenger cars overturned, releasing a deadly stream of hot steam that claimed even more lives.
Key points
This ill-fated passenger car found a new chapter in its eerie history decades later, becoming the focal point of a haunting mystery.
“Death Car” of Cleveland Flats
In 2013, the remnants of that tragic wreck were sent to the old Baltimore and Ohio train roundhouse in Cleveland Flats. There, the Midwest Railway Preservation Society undertook the task of restoring old train cars, including the one involved in the 1943 disaster. However, as the restoration efforts proceeded, strange occurrences began to surface. Volunteers working on the car started to believe it was haunted. Dubbed the “Death Car,” the atmosphere surrounding this piece of history became increasingly unsettling.
Charlie Sedgley, a volunteer dedicated to restoring the car, claimed to have encountered at least 17 distinct spirits inside the Death Car. His experiences were not isolated. Many others working within the roundhouse reported strange sightings and unusual events tied to the car.
Paranormal Encounters During Tours
The haunting legacy of the Death Car became impossible to ignore, even for those outside the restoration team. Steve Karpos, a trustee of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society, was leading a tour group through the old train cars when the Death Car once again took center stage. As Karpos spoke to the group, one woman interrupted, asking about the man in the “funny suit” who stood behind him. Karpos was alone. Others in the group soon claimed to see the same figure, and some even reported seeing a ghost sitting on the roof with his legs dangling over the side.
Paranormal Investigations
As word of the eerie happenings spread, professional paranormal investigators were brought in to explore the Death Car. One group recorded inexplicable sounds and other paranormal phenomena that only reinforced the belief that the car was haunted by the spirits of those who died in the tragic 1943 train wreck.
Despite these unnerving events, volunteers continued their work, unfazed by the spectral encounters. They believed that if the ghosts of the wreck were indeed haunting the car, their presence was welcome.
Final Chapter
The haunted Death Car eventually found a buyer, passing out of the hands of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society. Yet, its legacy remains, a chilling reminder of the tragic events of 1943 and the lingering spirits that refuse to leave their ill-fated resting place.
