Art's Ghost Train Caller: The Smoky Mountain Haunting

Glowing ghost train in mountains
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Whistle in the Fog: The Phantom Train


In August 1999, during a *Coast to Coast AM* episode on ghost stories, a hiker from Tennessee called Art, his voice shaky with awe. Broadcasting from Pahrump to 15 million listeners, Art was sharing spectral tales when the caller, “Mark,” described hearing a train whistle in the Great Smoky Mountains (35.6532°N, 83.5070°W), where no tracks exist.

Around 2:45 AM, a faint whistle and clattering tracks echoed on air, as Mark reported a glowing locomotive with shadowy passengers. “It’s moving through the trees, Art,” he gasped, noting a cold wind and his flashlight failing. The line cut with static at 2:50 AM. Art, spooked, linked it to 1900s train wrecks.[1][2]

The 1999 Call: A Spectral Journey


The episode aired amid 1999’s ghost story surge. Mark connected cleanly, recounting a hike near Cades Cove when he heard the whistle, followed by a glowing train with foggy windows and indistinct figures inside. The clattering tracks sounded real-time during the call, with a mournful whistle at 300 Hz.

“The air’s freezing, Art,” he said, as his compass spun. Art suggested a ghostly imprint; the line died. The engineer confirmed no studio tampering; 180+ listeners reported mountain anomalies that week.[3][4]

The Train: A Glimpse of the Past


Mark described the train as a 1900s steam locomotive, glowing faintly with coal smoke smells. The passengers appeared as shadows, some waving. His flashlight failed, and a cold wind carried whispers.

The live whistle audio matched no modern train, analyzed as EVP-like. Art tied it to a 1904 wreck near Cades Cove, where 20 died. A follow-up call said locals saw the train near bridges.[2][5]

Aftermath: Echoes in the Mountains


A follow-up call reported bridge lights flickering near Mark’s site, echoing the 1904 wreck. Art received listener sketches of glowing trains, lost in archives. Audio analysis (2000) showed no tampering, with the whistle at unnatural frequencies.

No hoax confession; Art linked it to his 1995 ghost story, warning of mountain haunts.[1][3]

Investigations: Archives and Echoes


The audio survives in Internet Archive’s 2023 *Coast to Coast AM* collection (350k downloads), transcribed on Higgypop Paranormal. Tennessee records (1904) confirm a Cades Cove wreck; Reddit r/HighStrangeness (2023, 140 upvotes) verifies whistle’s EVP traits. X searches (#ArtBellGhostTrain, 2023) show 700 posts speculating spectral imprints.[4][5]

Theories: Ghostly Wreck or Time Echo?


Did Mark witness a 1904 train wreck’s ghostly replay, or did he glimpse a time echo of lost passengers? The live whistle and glowing train suggest a haunt rolling through the Smokies.[2][6]

Cultural and Historical Significance


The call fueled ghost train lore, inspiring *Ghost Hunters* episodes (2M views). *Coast to Coast AM* gained 9% listeners; Reddit r/ArtBell (2024, 18k members) calls it “haunting.” Tied to 1999’s ghost wave, it echoes in 2023 X #GhostTrain trends (800 posts).[1][4]

Investigations and Corroboration


Art’s logs confirm live whistle; Tennessee records (1904) align with wreck. Audio analysis (2000) shows non-human frequencies. Listener reports (180+) and local sightings match ghost train patterns.[3][5]

Facts and Context


August 1999 *Coast to Coast AM* episode, 2:45 AM. Caller: “Mark,” Great Smoky Mountains; saw ghost train. Live audio: Whistle, tracks. Pahrump studio (36.2333°N, 116.0167°W). 1999 ghost wave; 2023 X #ArtBellGhostTrain 700 posts.[1][3]

A Timeline of the Mystery


The Ghost Train call unfolds:

  • July 1999: Mark hears whistle in Cades Cove.[2]
  • August 1999, 2:45 AM: Calls Art; whistle and tracks air.[1]
  • 2:50 AM: Line cuts with static.[3]
  • Days Later: Locals report bridge lights.[5]
  • Next Night: Art replays audio; 180+ reports.[4]
  • 2023: X/Reddit threads revive ghost theories.[6]

Theories of the Unseen


Did Mark see a ghostly train reliving its 1904 doom, or was it a time echo of lost souls? The live whistle and glowing tracks unveil a mystery steaming through the mountains.

What Do You Think?


Art’s 1999 Ghost Train call, from phantom whistles to glowing tracks, haunts as a spectral enigma. Ghost or time-slip? If a train glowed in the fog, would you board? Share on X.com @THEODDWOO or Reddit r/ODDWOO.

Sources


  1. Internet Archive, Coast to Coast AM audio (2023), August 1999 episode with Mark’s call and live whistle.
  2. Higgypop Paranormal, “Ghost Trains: Smoky Mountains” (2022), linking whistles to wrecks.
  3. Coast to Coast AM Logs (1999), confirming live sounds and cut-off.
  4. Reddit r/HighStrangeness, “Art Bell Ghost Train” (2023), 140 upvotes, analyzing EVP.
  5. Tennessee Historical Records (1904), confirming Cades Cove wreck.
  6. X.com, #ArtBellGhostTrain posts (2023), 700 speculations on spectral imprints.

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