A Spectral Brakeman: He Appears at the Hour and Spot Where He was Killed
Early local railroad Ghost story from about 1891-1895
The trainmen at the West Side Yards in Kane have a genuine sensation. A haunt is said to walk at a lonely spot near Roystone, where a fatal accident occurred, and its presence terrorizes brakemen. Two brakemen claimed to have seen the apparition, the last being only last week.
Four years ago, Howard Neusbaum, a young brakeman, was killed at Roystone. The crew that passes this point without a helper locomotive considers itself lucky. It was one of these helpers who threw young Neusbaum from his train that fatal night four years ago. Neusbaum was an exemplary young fellow, and his untimely death caused profound regret in this community.
Last Tuesday night, one of the returning Warren trains broke apart at Roystone. The forward brakeman went back to repair the brake, and while waiting for the engineer to get the airbrake in order, one of the brakemen halted at the last car while the other one passed by. It was a lonely spot in the woods and the previous place, where a human being would likely be out for a stroll.
"Broke in two?" said a voice at the brakeman’s elbow, as he stood leaning against the car with his lantern on his arm. The brakeman was startled, for he had not heard anyone approach. He looked around and saw a figure of a man standing within a foot of him. The brakeman answered in the affirmative, wondering how a strange railroad man should happen to be at that place at that hour of the night, for the figure was clad in the working garb of a trainman. "Bad place, and you must look out," returned the figure. "Where is Tom Vogle now? He was with me when I was killed here four years ago at this very hour," drawing his watch and flashing the dial in the light of the brakeman’s lantern, which showed the time to be two o’clock. "Don’t you know me? I’m Howard Neusbaum".
"The hell you are", exclaimed the brakeman, now thoroughly startled. But with the exclamation, the figure vanished as suddenly as it came, and the brakeman was left alone. He was frightened but continued his duties until the train coupled up and got underway again. Then he went forward to the engine and related what had occurred. The other trainmen were disposed to chaff at him, but his earnest manner and white face convinced them that something must have frightened the young fellow.
The story has made quite a sensation among the trainmen, and he still maintains that he saw the apparition. He did not know Neusbaum, but his description of the presence aligns precisely with the dead trainman's appearance. Since this occurrence, it has leaked out that another trainman claimed to have seen the same thing a year or so ago, but nothing was done about it.
Last Friday night, the train on which the same brakeman was running broke in two at Ludlow and piled up fourteen cars and a tender. No one was hurt, but the superstitiously inclined attribute the brakeman’s vision or whatever it was, as a warning of the approaching accident.