10-13 EX
The trains that help move people throughout San Gabriel, Michigan are considered one of the better rail systems in the United States, with express lines reaching across the city and down to Detroit. One such express train used to be the 10-13 Express that ran from the harbor district to the city center, so named for connecting the 10th and 13th stations. It was decommissioned in the 70's to make room for newer, more advanced designs.
Of course, that's not how the locals tell it. Sure the city has its official story, and there are newspaper articles and easily verifiable records indicating the line ended simply to be replaced, but that's not the real reason according to local legend. As the story goes, when the 10-13 EX was first built in the 40's it was not an easy project. The portion of the city between the harbor and center, having built up since the 1813, was a densely populated area where many people lived. Most were content to take the city's payoff and sell their homes or businesses, though a few did grumble and protest before ultimately giving in. One elderly woman by the name of Roseline Cormier however refused to be moved. She insisted she would die in the home where her beloved partner had, a prophesy that soon prooved tragically accurate.
The Northern Michigan Times-Record describes the burning of Roseline's cherished home with the cold detachment only old newspapers can provide. It is presumed she passed in the fire, though the remains found in the ashes were never positively identified. Locals claim there was a fuss as to the cause of the blaze, but ultimately the last obstacle to the building of the 10-13 EX was now gone and progress resumed.
That progress was slow though as the entire project was mired in delays, accidents, and unforeseen challenges. Ultimately 28 men died in the time it took to complete the line which ran well over budget and nearly double it's intended timeline. The city was determined however to implement the new line they'd worked so hard to secure and so in April of 1947 the 10-13 EX was opened to great fanfare.
Yet this would be far from the last time the 10-13 EX would appear as front page news. Throughout the 31 years the line was active 254 deaths were connected to the train. The official position of the city of San Gabriel is that this number is a wild exaggeration, tying any death even remotely near the 10-13 Express line to the train. Nevertheless, the line was known to be particularly dangerous even in it's early days, which likely contributed to the decision to shut it down.
There are also several stories from passengers and personnel alike that recount strange happenings and half-seen elderly women in windows when the car should be empty. The 10-13 EX was also known to have serious issues with overheating, which were always attributed to mechanical issues, but even the new lines that run in the area will often hear complaints of the cars suddenly becoming uncomfortably warm for passengers.
The question no one seems able, or willing, to answer is did the spirit of Roseline Cormier now haunt the 10-13 EX and if so is she still out there now making trouble for the SGTA?
Of course, that's not how the locals tell it. Sure the city has its official story, and there are newspaper articles and easily verifiable records indicating the line ended simply to be replaced, but that's not the real reason according to local legend. As the story goes, when the 10-13 EX was first built in the 40's it was not an easy project. The portion of the city between the harbor and center, having built up since the 1813, was a densely populated area where many people lived. Most were content to take the city's payoff and sell their homes or businesses, though a few did grumble and protest before ultimately giving in. One elderly woman by the name of Roseline Cormier however refused to be moved. She insisted she would die in the home where her beloved partner had, a prophesy that soon prooved tragically accurate.
The Northern Michigan Times-Record describes the burning of Roseline's cherished home with the cold detachment only old newspapers can provide. It is presumed she passed in the fire, though the remains found in the ashes were never positively identified. Locals claim there was a fuss as to the cause of the blaze, but ultimately the last obstacle to the building of the 10-13 EX was now gone and progress resumed.
That progress was slow though as the entire project was mired in delays, accidents, and unforeseen challenges. Ultimately 28 men died in the time it took to complete the line which ran well over budget and nearly double it's intended timeline. The city was determined however to implement the new line they'd worked so hard to secure and so in April of 1947 the 10-13 EX was opened to great fanfare.
Yet this would be far from the last time the 10-13 EX would appear as front page news. Throughout the 31 years the line was active 254 deaths were connected to the train. The official position of the city of San Gabriel is that this number is a wild exaggeration, tying any death even remotely near the 10-13 Express line to the train. Nevertheless, the line was known to be particularly dangerous even in it's early days, which likely contributed to the decision to shut it down.
There are also several stories from passengers and personnel alike that recount strange happenings and half-seen elderly women in windows when the car should be empty. The 10-13 EX was also known to have serious issues with overheating, which were always attributed to mechanical issues, but even the new lines that run in the area will often hear complaints of the cars suddenly becoming uncomfortably warm for passengers.
The question no one seems able, or willing, to answer is did the spirit of Roseline Cormier now haunt the 10-13 EX and if so is she still out there now making trouble for the SGTA?
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