SummaryThe Headless Brakeman

The Headless Brakeman” is a classic North American (especially Canadian) ghost story often included in folklore collections about haunted railways. Here’s a summary:

Summary

“The Headless Brakeman” tells the eerie tale of a railway worker—a brakeman—who met a tragic death while working on the trains. Long ago, during a stormy night, the brakeman was performing his duty of coupling cars together when a sudden jolt caused by a miscommunication on the line led to his decapitation by the moving train. His head was never found.

After his death, strange occurrences began to trouble that stretch of railway track. Train engineers and passengers reported seeing a headless figure carrying a lantern, walking along the tracks or climbing onto freight cars. The ghost seemed to be searching for something—presumably his lost head. The apparition would often appear before accidents or mishaps, leading many to believe he was warning the living about danger.

Over time, the story of the Headless Brakeman became a railway legend—told among train workers as both a cautionary tale about safety and a ghost story about restless spirits of those who died on duty.

Themes

Tragedy and loss – The brakeman’s death symbolizes the dangers faced by early railroad workers.

Restless spirit – His ghost represents unfinished business and the search for peace.

Folklore warning – The legend serves as both a spooky tale and a moral reminder about carefulness and respect for the dead.