The sounds of trains have long been part of the night landscape for residents near Dawson, Pennsylvania. Recently, one local resident, Roy Hess Sr., experienced a situation that led him to reflect on the memories of his late mother and her queries about the nighttime train noises.
Hess recalls that his mother lived in a small bungalow ranch home constructed by his father beginning in 1956. After his father passed away in 1970, she continued to reside there, even while battling serious health issues such as congestive heart failure and myasthenia gravis. Despite her struggles, she maintained her cheerful disposition and sharp mind, often commenting on the sounds of engines running through the nearby Dickerson Run yard during the night.
In her quiet home, she would say, “Late at night when everything is quiet, I can hear something.” Although Hess had initially dismissed her concerns as possibly linked to her tinnitus, he promised her he would listen with her one night—a promise he did not keep.
Hess’s new home, built in 2011, offers a sweeping view of the Youghiogheny River, where the sound of oncoming trains can be heard for miles. He noted that weather conditions play a significant role in how loud the trains seem, with winter months amplifying the sounds as trees lose their leaves. The eastbound trains are particularly notable, often pulling heavy freight loads that can comprise up to 250 cars.
On a recent night, Hess was in bed around midnight when he heard an eastbound train approaching. The sound rose and fell, typical of breezy conditions. However, after about ten minutes, the drone of the diesel engine persisted long after it should have been obscured by the hills leading up to Connellsville. Intrigued, he ventured outside to pinpoint the source of the noise.
It was at that moment he realized the train had stopped at a red block signal near Dawson. This delay, common in rail operations, can last anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours as the railway manages train spacing. Just as he grasped this situation, the diesel horn echoed through the night, and the powerful engine resumed its journey.
Hess concluded that the late-night sounds his mother had often noticed were likely due to diesel engines idling at the red block, rather than any auditory illusion or ghostly phenomena. His father, who had spent much of his life working on the railroad, had imparted knowledge about train operations to him. Now, Hess connects the dots between his mother’s experiences and the realities of rail transportation in their community.
This realization not only sheds light on a personal family mystery but also deepens Hess’s appreciation for the nightly symphony of trains that has characterized his life. The sounds, once a source of concern for his mother, now serve as a reminder of their shared experiences and the legacy of knowledge passed down through generations.
As residents continue to navigate life near the tracks, the echoes of trains will persist, intertwining stories of the past with the rhythms of the present.
