NUFORC Sighting 49934

Occurred: 2002-01-14 02:47 Local
Reported: 2006-04-03 11:51 Pacific
Duration: 15 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Paintsville, KY, USA

Shape: Disk
Characteristics: Lights on object, Emitted beams, Electrical or magnetic effects

Train Collision

At exactly 2:47 a.m. on Jan. 14 02, while working a coal train enroute from Russell Kentucky to Shelbiana Kentucky, our trailing unit and first two cars were severely damaged as we struck an unknown floating or hovering object. I know it was 2:47 because my watch froze, and to this day shows that time. Along with my watch the entire electrical systems on both locomotives went haywire.

Approaching a bend near milepost cmg 42 in an area referred to as the wild kingdom, for the many different types of animals spotted there, my conductor and I saw lights coming from around the way. This ordinarily means another train is coming and will pass on the other track. The outlay of the area is this, the river, #1 track, #2 track and a straight up mountainside, carved out for the laying of these tracks. I killed our lights as not to blind the oncoming crew.

As we rounded the corner our onboard computer began to flash in and out, speed recorder went nuts, and both locomotives died. Alarm bells began to ring and thats when we saw the objects. Apparently scanning the river for something, the objects, (at least 3) had several "search" lights trained there, the first object hovered about 10 to 12 feet above the track.

Metallic silver in color with multiple colored lights near the bottom and in the middle, no windows or openings of any kind that we could see. Approximately 18 to 20 feet in length and probably ten feet high.

With both engines dead as we rounded the corner we made little noise and the first object did not respond in time, I estimate that we hit the object at 30 mph with 16,000 trailing tons behind us. It clipped the top of our lead unit then skipped back slicing a chunk out of our trailing unit and first two coal cars. The other objects vanished into thin air.

Our emergency brakes had initiated due to the loss of power and we stopped approximately a mile and a half to two miles after impact. Our power restored after we were stopped and we notified our dispatcher, located in Jacksonville Fla. of what had happened.

We were told to inspect the cars to see if they'd hold the rail and try to limp into milepost cmg 60 which used to be the Paintsville yard which is no longer in full operation. We checked everything out and the cab of the rear locomotive was demolished and smoking, the second two cars looked as if they had been hit with a giant hammer but looked like they'd hold the rail.

We pulled into Paintsville yard at approximately 5:15 am. The huge overhead lights lining the yard were noticeably dark and the only lights came from what we assumed were railroad officials vehicles parked near the end of the track. We pulled to a stop and began unloading our grips off the wounded train.

We could hear what sounded like an army of workers immediately tending to our train. Vehicle doors slamming, guys running by in weird outfits and lights glaring from all directions, the one thing missing was railroad officials.

A guy named Ferguson shook my hand and asked me to follow him into the old yard office. We did, once inside they, and by they I mean I have no idea who these people were, began to ask us hundreds of questions, they then told us for our own protection we'd be medically tested before we could leave.

I asked repeatedly to talk to my road foreman or trainmaster and not only were these requests denied but they confiscated my conductors cellular phone.

Hours later we were led outside the old yard office and the strange things continued to happen, the 2 locomotives and two cars were removed from the rest of the train we had brought in and my only guess was parked 4 tracks over under a huge tent like structure buzzing with activity. We were lead off property and told due to national security our silence on this matter would be appreciated.

We were then put in a Railroad vehicle and taken to Martin Kentucky were we went throgh questioning again with railroad officials and were then drug tested.

After all of this we were sent on to Shelbiana, where we took rest for 8 hours and worked another train back to Russell. Working back we passed by Paintsville, no sign of the engines, cars, tent, people, nothing.

((COMMENT/ADDENDUM FROM VISITOR TO NUFORC SITE, MAY 16, 2006))

For what it's worth, as a railfan I can say the terminology/slang the witness is using is accurate and how he describes the train's reaction seems likely. Since he says his dispatcher is in Jacksonville, FL, I can tell it happened on CSX. You might want to ask him about that and if he remembers the unit numbers or model. Locomotives last between 15-20 years unless they are totally demolished in a wreck. That means the units involved are most likely still in service and can, perhaps, be examined.

Another FWIW would be the Portland, OR, railcams that operate 24/7 with some sky in the views. I doubt that they archive their feed but you never know.

((END ADDENDUM))

JUST A COMMENT AND OPINION. I THINK THE UFO-TRAIN COLLISION OF JAN 2002 IS A HOAX. I WORKED FOR CSX AT ((deleted)) KY. I HANDLED ((deleted)) OF TRAIN CREWS AND THAT WOULD HAVE COME TO ME, HAD THAT CREW TOOK A TAXI TO SHELBIANA KY FROM EITHER PAINTSVILLE KY OR MARTIN KY. I NEVER KNEW OF SUCH INCIDENT AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT.

I RETIRED IN ((deleted/after date of incident)). IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, I NEVER HEARD OF ANY HINT OF SOMETHING HAPPENING, NOT EVEN A RUMOR.

IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE OR PERSON THAT FILED THAT REPORT.

AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I HAD OVER ((deleted/decades)) SERVICE ON THE RAILROAD.

FORMER ((deleted/senior position)) OF CSX RAILROAD AT SHELBIANA KY.

((name, address, and e-address deleted))

NUFORC Note:

Investigation into this sighting report suggests that the report may be a hoax. We express our gratitude to Dr. Mark Rodighier, Director of the Center for UFO Studies , and CUFOS Investigator, Mr. James Jamrus, for following up on this case. We will seek permission from CUFOS to either link to, or post to the NUFORC site, the follow-up written report by Mr. Jamrus. PD

Posted 2006-05-15