Moonville Tunnel

[KevinW]

Anybody ever hear of Moonville Tunnel in southeastern Ohio?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonville,_Ohio
http://www.moonvilletunnel.net/index.htm
http://www.forgottenoh.com/moonville.html
http://www.moonvillerailtrail.com/index.htm
http://www.graveaddiction.com/moontun.html
http://www.hauntedhocking.com/Moonville_Tunnel_Brakeman.htm
http://www.spikesys.com/Trains/moonvill.html

I first heard of it several years ago, possibly from the last link in the list above. I've never been there, but when thinking of going on a road trip in the near future, I looked up where the tunnel is and discovered that it's only a couple hours away. Based on everything I've been reading online, it should be easy to find and get to. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to taking a day and going down to see the tunnel, cemetery, and the old right-of-way of the railroad line through there. I'll be getting out and away from everything, hopefully get some nice scenic pictures to give me inspiration for some new paintings, explore some "forgotten" history, and do some ghost hunting.

Kevin

[tomspy77]

This id deffo artcile worthy for my site so if you happen to go and snap a few pics I would be happy to publish your words/pics!

Looking at the area from Google Earth is sure does look like it was left to go wild. Then again a peak population of about a hundred people meant ti really never took off lol.

BTW, if you like tunnels you will love the abandoned Turnpike!
http://www.rays-hill.com/turnpike/home.htm

[KevinW]

Interesting thing about the original route of the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that it was originally to be a railroad that was going to compete with the Pennsylvania Railroad's mainline across Pennsylvania.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pennsylvania_Railroad

When I go down to Moonville, I'll be taking a bunch of pics. I'm also planning on taking my tripod and letting my digital camera record video in the tunnel, doing a couple EVP sessions to see if I can record anything on audio and video. I'm currently working on info on the background of Moonville, the stories, and the rail line for when I put up a page for my pics from the trip. I have a couple Chessie System Ohio Division timetables from 1980 and 1981, and, while Moonville isn't listed, the route that Moonville was on is in there. I'll be sure to scan the pages to put up on the webpage as well.

I was talking to a couple coworkers before leaving work today, and one of them said that somebody else where we work has been down there, so I'll be contacting him to see if he has any suggestions for my trip down there.

Kevin

[KevinW]

One thing that is sad and spooky about Moonville is the number of non-natural deaths (not heart attack, illness, etc.) that occurred over the years in the area, particularly around the railroad track.

1859 - Brakeman falls from train and is killed

18?? - Mine worker killed in explosion

1873 - Brakeman crushed between train cars

1873 - Woman killed by train while walking on tracks

1876 - Brakeman killed

1876 - 13 year old boy killed when jumping from train and losing leg

1880 - Man killed when jumping from train and being flung into a post

1880 - Engineer and fireman killed in headon crash between two freight trains

1884 - Brakeman killed

1886 - Man murdered on tracks after bar fight

1905 - Woman hit by train on trestle

19?? - Man hit and killed by train

1907 - Man killed after hopping freight train and falling off

1912 - Man killed after walking across tracks after a train passed, not seeing the rear cars of the train that had broken loose from the rest of the train

1920 - Miner returning home killed by train in tunnel

1936 - Man murdered at inn

1938 - Engineer killed when freight train hit a rock slide

1945 - Railroad worker killed on trestle when a load of ties shifted and killed him

1986 - 10 year old girl killed by train on trestle

From what I've read, there were supposed to have been more deaths in or near Moonville, but the 20 above are the ones I was able to piece together from different sources.

Kevin

[tomspy77]

Interesting indeed...

[Tim]

Man Kevin, I'm all messed up. You claim non-natural deaths....but I contend getting hit by a train and dying.....IS natural! If I got hit by a train and died, and you asked me..."what happened?". I would answer.. I died, naturally! lol and yes I know your a train buff!!

[KevinW]

Been busy doing some research on Moonville, and, in terms of the stories of railroad operations on the route, there has been a lot of misinformation being put out online.

Every website I've been to claims that the route didn't have signals (train crews were given written instructions/train orders telling them where they were to stop to meet other trains and when to proceed) and that when there were signals added to the route, a special signal was put up just east of the tunnel for workers to use to stop trains due to the sightings of the lantern-carrying ghost that would stop the trains.

However, I've found out that the line did have signals since the 1920s. While it was dispatched by train orders, it was not considered "dark" as many websites claim. The signal system on the route was indeed upgraded in 1981, but it wasn't unsignalled before then. Also, no mention is made in either of the Chessie System Ohio Division timetables that I have in regards to a "special signal" at Moonville. If there was a special signal at Moonville it was likely an approach signal for a siding a few miles down the line at Zaleski.



I found the above picture the other day. It's at the Kings Tunnel a few miles east of Moonville. Taken in July 1977, it proves that the route did indeed have signals before 1981, when many websites claim the route was signalled. Also, if you look closely, the signal is for just one direction with no signal for trains going in the opposite direction. This is the setup for the "special signal" claims for Moonville. The signal in the above pic is an approach signal for a signal at a siding a couple miles or so ahead. If the "special signal" at Moonville did actually exist. it was likely an approach signal like this one and not put there because of any ghost.

While that doesn't rule out that anything paranormal has happened or is happening at Moonville, it does show how some people have misinterpreted things or just plain given out misinformation and further twisted the truth.

And I am still planning on visiting Moonville soon!

Kevin

[KevinW]

Looks like Saturday (weather permitting) will be my day to visit Moonville. Definitely looking forward to it, although I admit that I'm a little nervous since I've never been there and don't really know what to expect. From the stories I've heard online, though, nothing threatening has ever happened to anybody visiting there.

Kevin

[KevinW]

All set for the drive to Moonville in the morning. Made a list (and checked it twice) for everything I'll be needing:

Digital camera (and all four batteries fully charged)
Charger cord for camera if I need to charge it in the Jeep.
35 mm camera and film (as a backup)
Tripod
Lawn chair
Trash bags for any trash so I don't litter as well as to set my duffel bag on the ground when sitting in the chair
Bottled water and cooler
Bug repellant (Off clip on as well as Off Deep Woods spray)
Ointment for bug bites, poison ivy, etc.
Wet wipes
Boots and extra socks
Flashlights and fully charged/extra batteries for if needed in the tunnel
Notepad and pens
Thermometer to monitor air temp in the tunnel since cold spots have been reported
Extra contacts and Visine in case I lose one so that I can see
And lunch is made and in the fridge to eat on the way down

Only other thing I wish I had was an EMF detector, but I guess I can make do without for this trip.

Kevin

[KevinW]

Made it down to Moonville and back safe and sound. Didn't see, hear, or sense anything unusual while I was down there. Still have a lot of pics and about 45 minutes of video to go through.

Did learn some important lessons about visiting the tunnel.

1. Know what kind of road you're going to be driving on. I was not expecting a dirt road. The back of my silver Jeep is now tan, but the 4-wheel drive came in very handy on some of those twists and turns.

2. Don't underestimate how much Deep Woods Off you'll need. Thankfully, I didn't run out (my Off clip on repellant did nothing), but the bugs down there attack in swarms.

3. When parking the Jeep in the pull off at the end of the road bridge, be aware that the Jeep is on lower ground from where I am standing when I raise the rear tailgate and go to reach inside. I have a red mark on the top of my head to remind me.

Kevin

[Mix1]

Glad to hear you had a safe journey (apart from buimping your head lol) .

Be sure to post some of those pics of the tunnel

[KevinW]

Glad to hear you had a safe journey (apart from buimping your head lol) .

Be sure to post some of those pics of the tunnel

Will do. I'm definitely feeling the effects of yesterday, especially in my back, legs, and feet.

I'm thinking that there may have been a couple reasons why I didn't see, hear, or sense anything yesterday. First, it's hard to concentrate when you're getting attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. And second, there were a lot of people coming through there. I lost track for sure, but I'd say that easily 30 to 40 people came through with little kids, guys bringing their girlfriends to scare them, and even one family that brought the family dog.

Kevin

[Mix1]

Yeah i'd think that the amount of activity about would be a contributing factor as to why you didn't sense anything.


How ever that's got me thinking has there ever actually been any cases where the supernatural has been observed by a large number of people simultaneously? Apart from UFO sightings? Im new to these boards and this sort of thing. I first started off being interested in UFO's and of course area 51. Now after stumbling across this forum, and lurking for a year im interested in the Amityville case, but i don't know much about 'ghosts' in general.

Now of any such cases?

[KevinW]

Well, with Moonville, according to the websites I've read, there have been cases where multiple people have seen something out there.

In a 1993 newspaper article, about a half dozen Ohio University students were out swimming in the creek east of the tunnel. It got dark, and on their way back through the tunnel to return to their car, they noticed a light following them. Thinking it was a sheriff deputy, two went back to talk to him. They soon went running past the others yelling that nobody was holding the light. A couple went back, and they saw that the light was just hanging in the air with nothing supporting it.

In another article from 1895, train crews were reporting getting stopped by a figure in white swinging a lantern just east of the tunnel. They would stop their train, and the figure would vanish.

Kevin

[Mix1]

Well, with Moonville, according to the websites I've read, there have been cases where multiple people have seen something out there.

In a 1993 newspaper article, about a half dozen Ohio University students were out swimming in the creek east of the tunnel. It got dark, and on their way back through the tunnel to return to their car, they noticed a light following them. Thinking it was a sheriff deputy, two went back to talk to him. They soon went running past the others yelling that nobody was holding the light. A couple went back, and they saw that the light was just hanging in the air with nothing supporting it.

In another article from 1895, train crews were reporting getting stopped by a figure in white swinging a lantern just east of the tunnel. They would stop their train, and the figure would vanish.

Kevin

Hmm interesting.

This light hanging in mid air would this qualify as an orb?

[KevinW]

No, it's been described as the light of a lantern. People have described it as following behind them or like somebody swinging a lantern, like railroaders use to signal a train to stop.

Kevin

[KevinW]

Here are the videos from Saturday.







Kevin

[Mix1]

Awesome i'll check them out tomorrow and edit my post accordingly, as it's getting a lil' late here and i'm tired. Haha

[Mix1]

Cool videos man thanks for posting, are you planning n going back when it's less busy?

[Bango Skank]

Glad to hear you had a safe journey (apart from buimping your head lol) .

Be sure to post some of those pics of the tunnel

Will do. I'm definitely feeling the effects of yesterday, especially in my back, legs, and feet.

I'm thinking that there may have been a couple reasons why I didn't see, hear, or sense anything yesterday. First, it's hard to concentrate when you're getting attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. And second, there were a lot of people coming through there. I lost track for sure, but I'd say that easily 30 to 40 people came through with little kids, guys bringing their girlfriends to scare them, and even one family that brought the family dog.

Kevin

it is entirely possible you didn't see, hear or sense anything because there's nothing to see hear or sense

[KevinW]

it is entirely possible you didn't see, hear or sense anything because there's nothing to see hear or sense

That's a possibility too, but I am trying to keep an open mind.

Kevin