Staying on the same theme as saturdays post, we are going to delve further into the Residual side of things, and Explore the myths and legends of the "Ghost Trains" "Ghost Cars" and the phantom animals etc. Again, as in the last post, we believe that these events and reports, are the results of the "Stone Tape Theory". There has been quite a few reports over the years of strange lights on disused railways, or cars disappearing in front of witnesses eyes.
The Silver Arrow, or (Slilverpilen) was a Stockholm metro train. Built as a one off test unit, and being composed of eight silver aluminium model C5 cars. It was manufactured in the 1960's as part of an all green fleet of hundreds of trains, being the only silver one, apart from its color, air suspension, a whining distinctive motor sound and the "outlying" sliding doors (hence the increased passenger capacity), it was almost identical to the other metro trains in service during its lifespan. The interior of this trains cars were devoid of the usual advertisements and the pale green walls bore signs of partly removed graffiti. This scruffy look contributed to the reputation of Silverpilen as "different".
The background for the ghost stories associated with Silverpilen may be related to the eerie look of Silverpilen if seen arriving late at night to an open-air underground station. People were used to green metro trains and were surprised at the arrival of a silver colored train, particularly if they had lived in Stockholm all their life and were unaware of the existence of the un-painted unit. The stories that circulated most widely in the 1980s have been retold by the noted Swedish folklorist Bengt af Klintberg, and later featured in the December 10, 1997 installment of Det spökar, a television series dedicated to allegedly real ghost stories and haunted houses. There are different versions of this urban legend. Some say that the ghost train has only been seen in abandoned tunnels by subway workers. Others say that anyone can see it passing the stations at high speed after midnight. Some even claim that Silverpilen sometimes stops to pick up passengers, who then disappear forever or later "get off" weeks, months or even years after they embarked. The inside of the train is described as being empty, or as containing one or several ghost passengers. Some stories connect the ghost train with the abandoned Kymlinge metro station on Line 11, the blue line. Kymlinge also has a reputation of being a ghost station, with people saying that "Bara de döda stiger av i Kymlinge" ("Only the dead get off at Kymlinge"). Some say that it stops at a station that has no exit.
Other reports of "Phantom Vehicles" include reports of many cars. In 1982, two people in Lanikai, Hawaii reported seeing a mysterious black car which disappeared and reappeared again a second later. In 1995, an eyewitness saw a brown 1960s car that had bumper stickers, the witness passed the car but it mysteriously reappeared ahead of the witness's car at several stoplights. Also the witness noticed that the driver was a man in his teens and that he never turned his head and he never moved the steering wheel when the man drove around the "dead man's curve" the witness said. 2004, In Cape Town, South Africa, a Renault sedan mysteriously rolled up an embankment and hit a fence, despite the fact that the handbrake was engaged and the engine was off. Some say the car was "jumping".
There are also many reports around the world of "Ghost Trucks" and busses. In the mid-1980s, three people in a sedan reported seeing a gray van heading straight towards them. Then suddenly the van vanished. In Australia, there is a story of the ghost truck of Kaniva where a driver was 'driven through' by a mysterious, 1940s' style big rig truck painted green. Early 1980s - a British motorist crashed his car in order to avoid a truck that suddenly appeared coming straight towards him and then vanished. The curved road at the junction of St. Marks Road and Cambridge Gardens in Ladbroke Grove, UK was reported to be haunted by a phantom bus with a route marker "7" which caused numerous accidents, one of which was fatal. The reports subsided when the area of road was straightened.
There are a few reports of other types of travel too... Spirits of passengers and crew have allegedly been seen on planes containing parts from Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 which crashed in Florida in 1972. In 1997, eyewitnesses from the eastern USA claimed they saw a single-engine plane crash. But when the coast guard searched the waters off Connecticut, they could not find any wreckage or bodies. Also none of the airports reported any planes missing. The Flying Dutchman, a ship manned by a captain condemned to eternally sail the seas, has long been the main legend of ghost ships. and last but not least, The Mary Celeste is perhaps the most historically famous derelict, and unexplained case of them all.
And lastly i'm going to touch slightly on animal ghosts. Mostly animals are reported by there owners, mostly its dogs being reported, followed by cats, and then horses. In the Chicago suburbs at the border of civilization and the Cook County Forest Preserves is a fairly busy intersection, 95th Street and Kean. There are stables nearby and horse-riding trails wind their way through the lush flora. One of the trails must cross the busy and dangerous 95th Street to continue on the other side. There have been numerous incidents especially at night or near dusk of motorists complaining of seeing what appears to be a horse and his rider in silhouette attempting to cross from one side to another. But as the driver begins to slow down and watch them more carefully, suddenly there's nothing there.
These figures don't simply disappear near one side of the street or the other, but often right in the middle of the road! They are best described as smoke grey silhouettes without any recognizable features but are often only seen from afar. There have even been ghostly reenactments of some actual events at that intersection as well. On one occasion, a motorist saw what appeared to be a horse throwing his rider from the saddle right in the middle of the road before disappearing. Some have seen a horse apparently being dragged down the roadway a bit as though a car had impacted with it and would have dragged it a little ways before coming to a complete stop.
In Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia stands the large grave marker of author Ellen Glasgow who was well known in Richmond and lived there for a good portion of her life. When she died, she stipulated in her will that her two pet dogs who had died prior to her death, be exhumed from her backyard and buried with her at Hollywood. Many claim that they have heard these dogs on occasions, scampering around quite near to that grave late at night.
There are also many reports around the world of "Ghost Trucks" and busses. In the mid-1980s, three people in a sedan reported seeing a gray van heading straight towards them. Then suddenly the van vanished. In Australia, there is a story of the ghost truck of Kaniva where a driver was 'driven through' by a mysterious, 1940s' style big rig truck painted green. Early 1980s - a British motorist crashed his car in order to avoid a truck that suddenly appeared coming straight towards him and then vanished. The curved road at the junction of St. Marks Road and Cambridge Gardens in Ladbroke Grove, UK was reported to be haunted by a phantom bus with a route marker "7" which caused numerous accidents, one of which was fatal. The reports subsided when the area of road was straightened.
There are a few reports of other types of travel too... Spirits of passengers and crew have allegedly been seen on planes containing parts from Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 which crashed in Florida in 1972. In 1997, eyewitnesses from the eastern USA claimed they saw a single-engine plane crash. But when the coast guard searched the waters off Connecticut, they could not find any wreckage or bodies. Also none of the airports reported any planes missing. The Flying Dutchman, a ship manned by a captain condemned to eternally sail the seas, has long been the main legend of ghost ships. and last but not least, The Mary Celeste is perhaps the most historically famous derelict, and unexplained case of them all.
And lastly i'm going to touch slightly on animal ghosts. Mostly animals are reported by there owners, mostly its dogs being reported, followed by cats, and then horses. In the Chicago suburbs at the border of civilization and the Cook County Forest Preserves is a fairly busy intersection, 95th Street and Kean. There are stables nearby and horse-riding trails wind their way through the lush flora. One of the trails must cross the busy and dangerous 95th Street to continue on the other side. There have been numerous incidents especially at night or near dusk of motorists complaining of seeing what appears to be a horse and his rider in silhouette attempting to cross from one side to another. But as the driver begins to slow down and watch them more carefully, suddenly there's nothing there.
These figures don't simply disappear near one side of the street or the other, but often right in the middle of the road! They are best described as smoke grey silhouettes without any recognizable features but are often only seen from afar. There have even been ghostly reenactments of some actual events at that intersection as well. On one occasion, a motorist saw what appeared to be a horse throwing his rider from the saddle right in the middle of the road before disappearing. Some have seen a horse apparently being dragged down the roadway a bit as though a car had impacted with it and would have dragged it a little ways before coming to a complete stop.
In Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia stands the large grave marker of author Ellen Glasgow who was well known in Richmond and lived there for a good portion of her life. When she died, she stipulated in her will that her two pet dogs who had died prior to her death, be exhumed from her backyard and buried with her at Hollywood. Many claim that they have heard these dogs on occasions, scampering around quite near to that grave late at night.
Take Care out There, and Look After Each Other.
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