Haunted Place-Haunted Train Tunnel-Moonville

Ghost hunting for a haunted place? Here's a haunted place in Ohio to check out. . .No trains have passed through the towns of Hope, Moonville or Ingham for well over twenty years but nearly hidden behind years of thick forest growth, the old Cincinnati and Marietta Railroad tracks still run noiselessly through this section of southeastern Ohio. But the locals here in Vinton County say the railway tracks aren't the only remnants of the iron furnace days still hanging around. In fact,  stories tell of a railway brakeman that haps by the old Moonville Tunnel in the dark of night...

It seems that back around 1859, after stopping in Moonville, a brakeman for the railway had been passing his break time away with a lantern in one hand and a bottle of liquor in the other. He fell asleep and some time during the night, he was awakened by the sound of his train leaving the depot. Unsteadily, he arose, stumbling on to the train track and falling beneath the wheels of the train. The brakeman never recovered from his injuries and the ghost of the man is said to be seen stumbling down the tracks within the tunnel with lantern in hand, still trying to catch the train before it leaves Moonville Station.

Interesting Photographs taken by Nicholas Viltrakis at Moonville Tunnel. Click for larger view. . .
Look at lower right edge at the far end of the tunnel.

This is an enhanced view of the image at the right end of the tunnel.

The original photo as submitted by Michelle Schrader. Here is her story:  "

I was camping at Lake Hope and I fully intended on visiting the Moonville Tunnel while I was there. I had previously visited the tunnel before this particular visit. I went with two other friends in the middle of the day last fall, at the beginning of October. We took a bunch of pictures, I was using my digital camera. I did not notice that there was a "figure" in the picture until I downloaded it on to my computer when I got home. Upon magnifying the shadow, it appears to be a manly looking figure. It gave me complete chills. I have shared the picture with lots of people, and we are all baffled. There is no reasonable explanation for the figure. It does go along with the legend of the tunnel, though. Apparently, based on the story that I have heard, there was a brakeman that was killed in the tunnel, and if you look at the figure, it appears that his leg is missing from the photo, you can see right through his leg. Creepy, huh? "

Click for larger view: