I know Flinderation Tunnel in Harrison County is a pretty popular spot.  Has anyone investigated there personally?  Is it worth the drive from Huntington? 

I've put together some preliminary research for a possible upcoming investigation:

Flinderation Tunnel, located near Salem in Harrison County, WV, is a popular destination for ghost hunters across the region.  It was even brought to national attention with the help of several popular television shows.  And…according to those who have been there, the tunnel does live up to his haunted reputation.  Apparitions, noises, and EVPs are commonly reported, and are said to be the result of a horrific accident that occurred at the tunnel.

 According to folklore, repairs were being made on the tunnel, when a train unexpectedly came through.  Legends differ, but the general idea of the story is that one of the workers was unable to seek refuge in one of the alcoves quick enough, and met a gruesome death.  The track, which was being repaired, combined with perhaps the accident itself then led to a train derailment.  In fact, another example of paranormal activity seems to be the phantom lights from a train, the sound of a phantom train whistle, and even the scraping sounds of a train crashing against the sides of the tunnel.  In later years, it is said that the tunnel was used by the KKK as a lynching spot.  Several reports from African-American investigators have confirmed that there are energies here that support this thesis. 

But aside from the folklore, how much is REALLY known about the Flinderation Tunnel?

For starters, the tunnel technically isn't the "Flinderation Tunnel," but rather the Brandy Gap Tunnel #2.  The colloquial name of Flinderation Tunnel comes from the fact that it is located off Flinderation Road.  This old railroad tunnel was commissioned by the Northwestern Virginia Railroad for the B&O Railroad.  It was to serve as a link between Grafton and Parkersburg.  Work began in August of 1852 under contractor Thomas S. Spates, and the tunnel was completed in January of 1857.  It was taken fully out of commission in the 1990s.  The land surrounding the tunnel was part of the Lynch family estate, and could possibly be a historical fact that got twisted into the idea of lynch-ings.  And yes…the tunnel DOES run directly under the large, yet historical Brandy Gap Cemetery.  In fact, some believe that the decaying bodies of the cemetery "drip" remains into the tunnel, and could possibly account for some of the apparitions sighted therein.  Another related story tells of bodies and body parts actually being visible from inside the tunnel, as parts of the roof erode away.

Unfortunately, not much else is known from a historical standpoint.  Despite in-depth research from several independent parties, there doesn't seem to be any record of a train derailment or even a death.  Since details such as dates and names have been lost to history, further research into the verification of the tale would be a daunting task.  However, a lack of documented history doesn't necessarily mean that the events didn't occur, as many are quick to point out.  Although it does seem likely that if the train DID derail, there would be some record of it, there wouldn't necessarily be any record of a lone worker killed.  In early days of railroad work, it wasn't uncommon for immigrant laborers (Italians made up a large percentage of immigrant rail workers in this area) or those of African American descent to be forgotten about…not even reported as deceased and buried where they lie…especially if they were single men without families. 

Today, the tunnel is part of the 72 mile long North Bend Rail Trail system, a popular place for ghost hunters, and even the location for a multi-stage geocache.  Directions to the tunnel, curtesy of Mountain State Spirit Seekers Society can be found below…but if you're traveling to the Salem area from Clarksburg, keep your eyes open for another local ghost legend.

As seen in the book Cry of the Banshee by Susan Sheppard, Rt. 50 (the road which will lead you to Salem) is home to a ghostly woman in red.  When the moon is full, motorists have said to have spotted a woman wearing a red hooded coat, walking along the side of the road.  Those who stop to ask the woman if she needs help are shocked to discover that under the scarlet hood, the woman has no face.  Allegedly, this woman is also said to follow motorists home, pacing outside of their home, peering into their windows with her faceless visage.

Directions to Flinderation Tunnel from MSSSS:

Like most outdoor places, I see tunnels as more of a fun legend tripping destination, as opposed to a serious investigation site.  I'm still on the fence, though…lots of teams have claimed to have had great personal experiences.  Any posted evidence, however, is open to interpretation, lol.  Not to discount anything that has been posted by other groups, but I'm still skeptical of many of the EVPs and photos that have cropped up all over the web.

We've only done one other tunnel, and that was Moonville.  Basically, it was just a fun history filled day trip to explore.  It wasn't a group investigation, but rather just some friends going up there on their own.  If we go to Flinderation, we'll probably do something similar.

Tunnel #2/Brandy Gap Tunnel per Track Chart of August 1947 for the Eastern Region of the Monongah Division of the Baltimore & Ohio System. Just looking at some of the incidents on the old Parkersburg Branch. There have been quite a few major accidents…..

For example

On May 31, 1956, the B&O westbound "National Limited" passenger train wrecked as it emerged from Tunnel #13 and the engine tumbled into Bonds Creek on the north
side of the bridge. The engineer, Joseph C. Riley, and the fireman, Paul R. Hooten, were killed in the wreck. Forty-five other persons on the train were injured in the wreck, including members of the train crew, other railroad employees and 29 passengers.