Page 12 - Middletown Magazine Issue 3 Autumn 2023

Ghost Train

by Lee Godburn

ductor and other workers on the train
1891, on a cold March night in Middle- wore all white, they even white washed
town, Connecticut two boys held hands the coal they used to stoke the fires. All
as they raced the path through the dark to create the illusion of grandeur and so-
woods. Peter was two years older than phistication. The train made its daily run
his eight year old brother and didn’t from March 16, 1891 until October 20,
need him tripping or falling behind to 1895 at which time the owners, the New
slow him down. He considered leaving York and New England Railroad, found
him asleep in his bed as he stole into the maintaining the oppulence of the majes-
night on this mission, but even though tic train too costly and was replaced by
he’d never say it out loud, the company the Air Line Limited. The ownership of
made him feel less afraid, even if it was the Air Line Limited was taken over by
just his bratty little brother. The eerie the New York, New Haven and Hartford
noise started just like it had last night What the boys had seen was the soon Railroad who kept it running until 1902
and the night before the same time the to be famous Ghost Train which made and then ended all passenger service on
same way. It was like the scream of a the 213 mile run between Boston and the line by 1937. But the Ghost Train
thousand goblins all at once starting out New York City in the incredible time, lives on even today in history books, in
low and then getting louder and loud- for then and now, of six hours. Several poems, and in stories told ‘round camp-
er until Peter, woken in his bed had to things made this train unique from oth- fires by young boys who chase scary
cover his ears to lessen the noise until ers. First it traveled a completely differ- things through our ominous New En-
it started to fade away again to eventu- ent route from the Shoreline train that gland woods.
ally nothing. The next night the exact brought passengers back and forth from
same thing happened and even though New York City to Boston but not with-
Peter lay in his bed trembling from the out multiple stops and train changes.
sound he vowed if it came back tomor- Speed was the key word back then and
row he was gonna find out what it was. the Ghost Train created its route on a
The boys ran as fast as they could toward diagonal line between Boston and New
the shrieking scream that filled the night York Called the Airline Route, which
sky. The noise kept getting louder and it went right through Middletown. It had
felt as though the whole woods were get- very few stops and no changes. The train
ting torn apart, but then between breaks was also designed to be the height of
in the trees they saw it. Tearing through luxury, boasting fantastic meals, silk car-
the forest, screaming its scream it was as pets and gold appointed furnishings. But
big as a house, two houses, and was as most talked about of all was the train was Lee Godburn
white as a ghost. all white. The engine, the cars, the con- Author/Writer

12 Middletown Magazine - Autumn Issue 2023