The History and Haunting of The Lincoln Funeral Ghost Train

On April 21st, 1865 The Lincoln Special left Washington D.C. The train, carrying Lincoln’s coffin and a coffin containing the body of his son Willie, was headed to Springfield, Illinois. About 300 people accompanied the procession. Abraham Lincoln’s portrait was attached to the front of the train. 

William Wallace Lincoln, or Willie, had passed away at age 11 from bilious fever, likely Typhoid Fever. Willie died on February 20th, 1862, during his fathers second year in office. Lincoln’s Wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, was a huge believer in the afterlife. Following the death of Willie, Mary would conduct seances in the Red Room of the White House. She was desperate to make contact with her lost child. It’s believed she hosted about 8 seances in the presidential residence, and that her husband hung out for at least a few of them. Many people believe that 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is indeed haunted, not only by Willie and his brother Eddie, but also by Abraham Lincoln himself. 

Lincoln was 56 years old when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 15th, 1865. His body, onboard the train, departed Washington, D.C. six days later. The Lincoln Special traveled over 1,600 miles. While the locomotive passed through 400 cities, there were 13 major, scheduled stops. Throughout the journey, hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered to pay their respects. At big stops, Lincoln’s coffin was removed from the train and transferred to a horse-drawn carriage. From there, the carriage would parade Lincoln’s body among the grieving crowds. Many also gathered along the tracks and made bonfires, sang hymns and played instruments to honor him.

When the train made it to Philadelphia, Lincoln’s body was put on display in the East Wing of Independence Hall. The same room where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776. 

Abraham Lincoln was buried on May 4th 1865 in Springfield, Illinois, alongside his son Willie. The pair were buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Eventually, they were joined by Mary Todd Lincoln and all of the Lincoln children except for one. 

But the story of The Lincoln Special doesn’t stop there. Because it is one of the most famous cases of a ghost train. The Lincoln funeral ghost train is one of the most consistently spotted instances of a ghost train. This train is known to emerge from dark fog. It stops clocks and watches as it passes. It sends a chill through nearby people and towns. And it never seems to reach its final destination. This particular ghost train is believed to travel between Washington D.C. and Springfield, Illinois, mimicking the original route through the Northern States. It’s also mostly seen in April, when the original train traveled the same path. 

People who have claimed to see this ghost train have identified it as Lincoln’s train because they believe they have seen his coffin, which was draped in the US flag and guarded by Union soldiers. Sightings have been reported all over the route but notably in Albany and New York City.

It makes perfect sense that the Lincoln Special ended up as a ghost train, because the Lincoln's believed in many forms of the supernatural. Including the time Lincoln claimed to see his own Doppelganger.