The crossing at McElhattan

Pennsylvania · United States · School

Park on the tracks, put it in neutral, switch off, and the car is pushed clear.

At this crossing on River Road at McElhattan, Pennsylvania, a car left on the tracks in neutral with the engine off will be pushed off them.

The story given is that many years ago, on a date nobody can supply, a school bus full of children was struck by a train here and all of them were killed.

This is the same account that appears in this archive attached to a crossing in San Antonio, where the underlying crash turns out to have happened in Utah in 1938. It travels, and each town that carries it believes it happened locally.

The mechanism behind the moving car is settled. These crossings sit in a slight dip, the road is not level, and the vehicle rolls out under gravity.

A ghost train is also reported on the line.

Stopping a car on a railway crossing is dangerous regardless.

FAQ

Where is The crossing at McElhattan located?

The crossing at McElhattan is in Pennsylvania, United States.

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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.