# Theme Help GHOST TRAIN



## scavengerhaunt (Aug 7, 2007)

that could be pretty cool... you should make up a story to go with it though so you can have props to go with the story. I read one about a haunted track the other day, here is what I found:

Ghost Tracks

This is the legend of the haunted "Ghost Tracks" in San Antonio, Texas. The story is that in the early 1930's or '40's, there was a school bus carrying kids, making it's route and dropping them off after school. When the bus was going uphill over some railroad tracks, it stalled. Suddenly, a train, going too fast, crashed into the bus, killing all of the passengers.



While the ghost tracks is known to be the place to go on Halloween, it's visited by regular folks on any day of the week. I've gone there three times in the past five months with family members. I'm not from Texas, but the point of going there is the phenomenon that occurs. If you park your vehicle fifty yards away from the tracks, place it in neutral and turn off the engine, your vehicle will roll up and over the tracks.



We've tried it different ways and each time, it worked. We put the brakes on as we were coming over the tracks and we still rolled over them. We parked at the bottom of the tracks as were mysteriously pushed away. We were not allowed to go back up the hill. To attest to the ghost track's popularity, many people were there on all three nights that we visited.



It is said that the spirits of the kids who died on the bus push the cars away from the train tracks so the passengers don't experience the same fate. Legend has it that if you put powder on the back of your vehicle, you can clearly see small handprints in it, after the vehicle is pushed. I have seen many people do this and look for the handprints after they are over the tracks. I don't know if they found any and we didn't use powder.



Another creepy thing is that the roads near the railroad tracks are named after the children who died in the accident. The ghost tracks are on Shane Road. There's also Cindy Sue, Bobbi Allen, Richey Otis, Laura Lee Way, and Nancy Carole. I read a book that my grandmother bought form me called "Spirits of San Antonio and South Texas" by Docia Shultz Williams and Reneta Bryne. This book is interesting and has a couple of pages about the ghost tracks.


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## mr_synical (Jul 24, 2007)

That's an awesome theme! Depending how big you make it, you could have skeletons and/or zombies dressed in period costumes. I'm so jealous of you people who get to make yard stuff. I can't wait til I actually own a home to join in the fun.


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

Sounds really cool! Our town does a "Ghost Trolly" every year. People can ride the trolly whilst scary scenes and charecters appear outside the windows. You could have people killed or maimed by the train haunting the tracks; a camp of ghost "bums"; a ghost engineer etc. of course all in the period dress.


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

I live in a city only here because of trains - it was basically a stop along the way, so I have the same town feel as you, I think.

Some cheap props that I think would add to the theme:

Those train lanterns - ones with a red side and blue side. I see them all over the antique shops here.
Railroad crossing sign
RR signs in general (distances to other cities, "Do not stand on tracks", that sort of thing)
a pile of 'coal' with shovel
Random freight boxes/wooden crates
old man with dog... (I don't know, I just picture an old guy walking the tracks with a dog at night...)
hobo carrying stick w/ bag attatched
ticket booth (some makeshift small ticket booth that has a sign w/ fares to different places (like 'Hell' or 'River Styx' or something of that nature) - have dummy inside
dummies sitting on a bench waiting for the train, maybe reading a paper.
Stack of newspaper tied with twine
Railroad crossing arm

Those are just some things I think of when I think of old timey trains.

I'm not sure I understand the set up of your tracks your talking about, but I think a big display of the front of the train would be neat. Cut it out of foam and plop that sucker on a couple of skate boards (or make some rollers -- piece of wood with a couple of those cheap attachable wheels) --- If you do make the facade of a train, I'd attach maybe a piece of 1x2 to the back and make that into a frame (have another piece of wood attached to the one on the back and one from the bottom of the back piece to the angled piece - like an upside down triangle - then just take some cheap wheels and attach those to the bottom of the horizontal wood- if it's on grass, get some bigger rubber wheels, like for a wheel barrow or something. That'd let you be able to move it forward and back at least).

They make flat, round LED lights that you could place in the center of the 'train'. Light weight and could be attached by making a hole in the spot you want it and just duct taping it to the back.

With this theme (which I think is awesome, by the way -- makes me want to do it next year since this entire town is based around trains... would be creepy), I think sound is most important. I'd have a lot of ambiance - the train whistle where your train prop is, maybe the sound of train 'bell' (like when you stop at a crossing), people murmering (unless you want it to be 'empty'), a conductor yelling in the background/distance "Alllll aboard!", the steam and hydrolics when a train stops, and if you do something like a ticket booth, waiting area, or 'train station platform', the sound of 30's music softy playing in the background.

Okay, I think that about covers it for me. Good luck and please post pictures of your progress - I'm interested to know what works and what doesn't (because I"m really considering it my theme for next year).


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## Dark lord (Jan 8, 2007)

If you could use a few fog machines,as a back screen & helps with the erie / ghost feel,& use a projector. Used with a loud train horn then project an old 1900 steamer........ Then roll out your train front with a lite on front......?


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## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

Great ideas DeadTed! I second the suggestion of people murmering & a conductor yelling.

Make the best out of people's imagination. Sometimes the scariest things are what we cannot see at all.

Have fun Echo - great theme. Like the others said, don't forget to post pics.


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## natascha (Jul 21, 2004)

1999 we sort of had that as a "theme". There is and old railroad track that runs along the back of my property and there is a burm over it now. 

So our story was during the civil war the train was carring something (I don't remember what?) and there was an accident the conductor Charlie Haze was helping people get out of the stuck train just after he got the last person free something shifted and it decapitated him. 

So people had to try and find Charlies head so that we could bury it with the body so he can rest in peace. People were sent in a group down the trail to find the head, after it was found the person who found it had to continue down a seperate trail to return it to Charlie. Headless Charlie waiting at the end of this trail "Give Me My Head" when the person would give Charlie the head he in return would give them a box with candy and prizes "Now RUNNNN".

Yes we had three people actually pee that year.


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## saiynprincess (Aug 24, 2003)

This theme is awesome! We have train tracks at the back of our property, too. Only they're still in use...daily. If you want some weird whistles, I can take a stab at recording them for you. We have one guy comes through and his whistle sounds like a dying goose. And he tends to just lay on the horn, and just lighten up a bit, so that it's a very wavering sound, not the "toot" most people do. So you could get a lengthy soundclip...he holds the damn thing for about 5 blocks, so you get the sound coming and going....very cool. As long as he doesn't do it at 1 a.m. (I think I'll try to record it anyway and see how it turns out!)

You definitely need someone with a conductor costume! Can't have trains without a conductor asking everyone if they have their tickets...with a leering smile, perhaps? And you'll need a ticket punch, too. Maybe a bloody one or something suitably creepy.

I really think you should have a train facade, however you get it to work. Maybe you could even mount it on a bicycle and have someone ride the bike forward and back? I don't know, I'm not that good at "enginnering"...HA HA HA!


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

Tell me about the train whistle! Geeeesh. Every two hours or so, a train is coming through town and he does the same thing - blows the horn for l10 seconds (long time if you're just sitting there). It gets loud enough to not hear the TV and have the pictures on the wall shake (from the rumbling not the whistle).

I'm not going to record the sound, but you definitely need them!


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## Echo (Aug 21, 2007)

You guys are fantastic! I'm pleased everyone likes the idea.
DeadTed - I love the ticket booth idea, i'm definately useing that. I might be able to get someone to dress up and stand inside it. Acting all distant and oblivious. We can make that where the candy is for TOTers. Then when they come over the train comes out of nowhere a couple yards away! We have a few train lanterns. The coal is another great idea. Since we have a ton of it. We can make some recordings of people mumbling and talking lightly (i think it'll be creepier if the people walking around aren't moving their lips but there's still the sound of whispers floating around) We'll get some old music playing softly in the background.
I'll definately come up with a story, don't worry, i'm way ahead of you on that one lol. Scavengerhaunt - We have that EXACT same story for an area here in ( Gravity Hill) I guess that one gets around... 
What if there was some kind of old wooden memorial sign for a train wreck.. ..half broken at the edge of the woods right before you get to where we'll be putting in the track? To far? That way people see the sign all week, then we set this train up on halloween so no one sees it until it's to late!!!?
I'd like to have a conductor, i have to find a hat (whats a conductor without the hat and pocket watch?) Period looking clothes is going to take some hunting and playing.
Mr Synical - technically i don't have a yard either....i just decided to start hijacking my boyfriend's and he was afraid to put up a fight lol
Dark Lord - I never thought of a projector! I'm going to look into that for a backup plan. Need more fog machines for that though!
Thanks for all the great ideas!


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

My over-active imagination is starting to come up with more ideas for your haunt than mine!

Having the ticket booth be the candy stop is a great idea. I just picture this section next to it covered by camo netting or something with a big barricade that says "Tracks Closed", bu then, the sound of a train and whistle - the 'front' of your train comes barreling through the netting and barricade (barricade is pre-'broken') with the headlight beaming down at kids - oh the humanity!


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

Also, not sure where you are getting your sound effects from, but there's an _awesome_ site that has great sounds, including ambiance. Now, they do cost money to buy, but if you just can't seem to find what you're looking for somewhere else, this could be a last resort ---- just _hover_ your mouse over the circle - you don't have to click.

The first link below is to a page that has some train station ambiance, but it's a modern station - may not be what your looking for, however, the other 'areas' may fit (ex - museum).

http://www.soundrangers.com/category-results.cfm?storeid=1&cat_id=0159

This second link is for you or anyone else that's looking for a creepy ambiance - some warehouse, factory, humming generator stuff - I encourage you all to browse around if you're looking for that sound you can't find.

http://www.soundrangers.com/category-results.cfm?storeid=1&cat_id=0005


EDIT! Ah! Found the perfect set for you ECHO!!

http://www.soundrangers.com/category-results.cfm?storeid=1&cat_id=0084

Some great stuff in there ('railyard' ambiance and 'light rail at stop' are two great ones)


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## Echo (Aug 21, 2007)

*yay*

DeadTed you are ON TOP of things! Thanks a lot!


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## childofthenight (Aug 24, 2007)

*ghost train*

I didnt read all posts but did anyone have the idea (and dont know your landscape that well ) of having your toters walk up the tracks to get your treats and just before they get there have a end of the line baracade that your train can blast its horn and run into? just for shock value like build the front of the train and atachet to a shopping cart to push it maybe?


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## childofthenight (Aug 24, 2007)

sorry just noticed ded teds idea thats better! next time i'll look before I leap. I was just excited!


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## granamyr (Oct 3, 2005)

I would also suggest building the entrance to a tunnel out of foam or plywood...perhaps with the "tracks closed, look out for trains, or what ever sign. 
They enter the tunnel walking on the tracks, and the light and whistle suddenly sound very loudly right in front of them, with the rumbling of the train.
I suggest a ghostly dead workman with the lantern....add a story about him falling off the train and getting killed, and now he endlessly signals trying to get a train to stop and pick him up.
Don't forget ghostly train robbers as an option.


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## childofthenight (Aug 24, 2007)

man I wish I had the room! everybodys gittin my wheels turnin


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

A tunnel entrance is a great idea.

ECHO, you started anything yet? Know what ideas your using?

I'm excited to see this theme play out. Like I mentioned earlier, I may do this next year.


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## Morbius J Kromwell (Aug 18, 2007)

Hello Echo, did you get the link I sent for the train sounds?


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## Dark lord (Jan 8, 2007)

If you do work on the projector thing, maybe a gauze type fabric (black or dark gray...) strung up & blow the fog into it so the fog will "Cling" to it ( cuts down on having to use alot of fog machines) & help make a more "solid" screen for the ghost train but with a better ghost fog effect to project on ?


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## Echo (Aug 21, 2007)

*...*

I'm afraid i haven't gotton anything done yet. Have to wait till Sept. I promise i'll post pics of anything worth seeing lol. If i can figure out how that is / I have a pretty good idea of what i'm doing i think! You know... that projector idea IS growing on me. I just found your e-mail Morbius! Thanks a lot.


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## etron (Oct 27, 2005)

Funny, I have had a similar ghost train idea on my spreadsheet for the last 2 years, and decided to try to build it this year. So I decided to search this board, and there you go, a thread full of good ideas! This is what I had originally planned, but not sure if it is feasible:

My walkway will go right through a rail road crossing:
When a button is pushed, foggers would turn on and fog up that area really fast. 
At the same time, the RR crossing lights will turn on, and the 'bell' will start chiming indicating a train is coming.
The guards (or whatever you call them) would come down to actually stop the kids in their path, so they will be forced to stand there, and watch.
I planned on strategically placing an old set of Klipsch 4.1 PC surround speakers around the yard to simulate the train arriving and passing, I will have to find some good sound files, and play with Audacity to mix the surround sound.
When the train is 'passing' the walkway area, several hidden box fans will kick in to simulate the draft, while at the same time move the fog around really fast.

That is what I planned on doing, but I am not sure how realistic I can make this. What do you guys think? Mine would really be a ghost train, so I don't want to physically build (part of) a train, I just want it to be creepy.


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## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

ooooo....good Etron. I could never technically pull it off. I really like the idea of not being able to see the train. Is each box fan going to be time delayed to one another then?


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## etron (Oct 27, 2005)

Not sure yet, I will have to play with it, but controlling the fans is easy, since I am big into home automation already.


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

Echo,

Just curious if you've started anything yet? Your idea is one of my favorite so far. Let us know how it's going... or not going I suppose!


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