An Abandoned Train Near Lawrenceburg, Indiana

After quiet a drive with bikes rattling on the rack on the trunk of my car, we finally pulled off near some railroad tracks. My friend Tom and I switched from seat to saddle and started following the line. We were out for a bit of exercise on the back country roads surrounding Lawrenceburg, IN, but Tom, being a naturalist and adventurer, said he knew of a little something I might want to shoot. Under my breath, I sang, "have gun will travel is the card of a man, a knight without armor in a savage land."

We were going to see dead body after all.

After pedaling over dirt roads, stoney paths and a rather dry creek bed, we finally reached it. Three train cars embedded into the creek embankment.

- Photograph by Cameron Knight

There's nothing to be found on the internet about this train. The creek, I believe, is some portion of Tanner's Creek near the Guilford Covered Bridge, possibly the east fork of it. Trying to determine where we were from Google Maps is not an easy task.

What we can guess is that the train cars were made before the 1950s. They have wooden floors and a different design from the standardized train cars you've seen on the rails for the last thirty or forty years.

- Photograph by Cameron Knight

The romantic version of the possible story is that there was a train wreck. There are train tracks running through this area back and forth over this creek. If a train did end up in this unfortunate position, it would be next to impossible to get it out. There aren't any paved roads out there.

- Photograph by Cameron Knight

The less romantic version of the story is that these rail cars were placed here on purpose for erosion control, or just dumped. Regardless, they've been there a very long time. There also appears to be some sort of crane towards the rear of the action. Obviously, this could be something that was on the train to begin with.

- Photograph by Cameron Knight

The light was just perfect for cool photos, but unfortunately, we had to leave. The mystery remains. If you have any information about this train or what may have happened to it, please leave a comment below.

- Photograph by Cameron Knight

As we pedaled away, I turned to Tom and demanded he "suck my fat one, you cheap dime store hood." He ended up being able to get into college and went on to become a lawyer.