Locked In!

There's nothing like getting more than you bargained for on a ghost hunt, even if that comes at the price of being terrified. Last night, Mike and I investigated the Ellenville train station and other buildings on the property. Barbara Bleitzhofer of Shanley's Hotel had told us about the place, and we thought there may be the spirits of a few old railroad employees still lingering, and hoped to get some shreds of paranormal evidence. We did not expect one of the most amazing nights of ghost hunting we have ever experienced.

While the full story will appear in the new Ghost Investigator Voulume 7 this fall, I just have to share some highlights. The train station is now a jewelry factory, and part of the former waiting room is a showroom. When Mike and I first entered the room something immediately caught my eye--a heavy chain bracelet hanging on a display stand was swinging back and forth!

It was the only thing moving, and once it stopped we tried to recreate the motion by jumping up and down, blowing on it, etc., but the only thing that could reproduce the way it was swinging was to actually physically push it. A short time later this incerdible phenomenon was repeated when a single earring among hundreds started swinging forwards and back. Very cool stuff!

While the station had amazing things happening it was all fairly benign. Not so in another building. As soon as we stepped inside it felt awful, like something was out to get us. I hate to tease everyone, but I won't go into the full details here. Suffice to say a lot of scary things went on, and we finally had enough and were quite anxious to leave. However, when I went to open the door to the outside, I found it was locked!

I admit I was really getting freaked out when I couldn't turn the deadbolt, and then Mike with all his strentgh couldn't get the door open either. Whatever this evil entity was, it had somehow managed to lock us in with it! I started banging on the glass and Mike was flashing his maglite so we could get the owner's attention outside, and when she came up to the door, she was able to easily pull it open without using her key!

Fortunately, even in our near-panicked states, Mike had the presence of mind to say that we should take a picture of the door when we were trapped inside, and my photo clearly shows the deadbolt in a locked position.

Words cannot describe the pyschological impact of getting locked inside a haunted site! Clearly, this is one of the most remarkable things that has ever happened in ten years of investigating.