Ghost Tracks

MUST DO!

San Antonio legend or lore?

Grab some talcum powder and head out to the south side. Shake some powder on the back end of your vehicle, jump back into your car, set it in neutral and hold on as it rolls...

Sad to make this report, by next week this will no longer be available as Union Pacific is tearing the up the intersection for a remodel.

I first heard of the tracks when I was in high school, but it wasn't until college that I actually came. These were the days long before the internet or Google. I came again in 2007 and brought a friend, so I knew I wanted to return with my best friend during our current trip to San Antonio. A news story said the tracks were being removed in 2017, but I saw on a ghost tours website a story written in 2020. I called and was told the tracks still exist. I don't know if the story is true, but my Lincoln Navigator was pushed across just the same as my previous trips in smaller cars. I definitely recommend going later at night when traffic is nearly non-existent and there aren't dozens of cars coming up behind you trying to access the park or whatever is right next to the tracks.

So going here is more for the novelty than anything else...

Though the "creepy" juju is definitely in the red-zone here!

It is in a somewhat run-down part of town and if you approach the tracks from the north there is a little pull-out to compose yourself, put your flashers on and let any high-speed traffic pass by before proceeding.

I recommend putting your gear in neutral about 30yds from the track. You get some momentum, then hit the tracks, but right when you hit the first bump you get a bit of jolt that feels more like a push than just hitting the first track...weirded me out!!!

However, I put the powder on top of my trunk as suggested and was almost disappointed there weren't any hand prints.

If you approach from the south, there is a definite incline and you won't clear the tracks if you put it in N as you approach...the odd thing from this side for me was my car was climbing the little hill on neutral and then hit a sort of wall and just kinda sat there before jerking a little bit and then coasting back down the little hill...as if the kiddie ghosts were like "tsk tsk" trying to push me OFF the tracks!?

In any case, I am soooo glad I went during the day because the creepy factor must quadruple at night!!

Also, my radio got super staticky and cut out, but only when I approached from the south...

I had the chance to visit this place and cross it off my list of places to see. I wasn't disappointed. This is definitely a pretty cool experience. There really isn't a reason for this, gravitational pull; This reminds me of the Mystery spot In Santa Cruz, ca. (Another review)
Once you park (about 45yards) put your car in neutral and cut the engine.. waaalaaa, your car will move and pick up speed, takes you over the tracks and you end up safely off the tracks

Please remember to put your windows down, listen for trains, this is a live track and there are no barriers, or warning lights to make you aware of an oncoming train.

What is really Interesting about this place is that the surrounding neighborhood has streets named after the children killed in the tragic bus accident that occurred in the early 70s, or so the legend claims.

Ok, as my first review going towards my list of "haunted" places in San Antonio, I start with the Ghost Tracks. The story is that around the 40s or 50s a bus filled with young kids (ranging in age from 7 - 11yrs) stalled on the railroad tracks at this crossing. A train came as the bus driver was trying to restart the engine but unfortunately it was too late. The children (or at least their souls) don't want the same incident to happen to anyone else so if you stop your car a few feet ahead of the tracks and put your car in neutral, the kids will push you up and over the tracks. It's also been said that the streets in the area are names of the children who perished in that crash (Shane, Cindy Sue, Richey Otis, Nancy Carole and Laura Lee).

As with anything deemed 'haunted' people have come to denounce the whole story with scientific findings i.e., it sits on a minor slant which will make your car pull forward anyway. To this day there have been no articles regarding such an accident ALTHOUGH it's still a great place to come to on a late, dark night or especially halloween!! But FYI if you do decide to go on Hallow's Eve, SAPD will be out there to control the crowds.

I've taken a few groups here. It's easy to find, and there's little to no wait. There's a Valero gas station nearby to dust for hand prints, etc. We've had tiny hand prints 3 out of 5 times. Folks often experience chill bumps. It's a fun time with locals because there's always other cars doing the same thing. Clean the windows, Park in front of the tracks, put the car in neutral, then turn the ignition off. The car always goes over the tracks. Dust for prints with flour or baby powder. Sometimes people are spooked and sometimes they aren't. Why not go for it? Then, listen to everyone fight about whether or not ghosts exist the rest of the way back to Austin.

I'm rating this place with 5 stars because it's been a fav since I was little and long before me too by many many people.
I have read it is not true by some writers and attempts at scientific explanations but boo hiss on those people raining on a scary fun time out.
This is a place not just for locals but great for visitors. Bring your friends from out of town here to freak them out and have some ghost stories.
Bring the kids and teach them about safety and how you don't play on railroad tracks.
But even more fun fun fun is wash your car then throw that baby powder on the back end and bumper and see what appears.
It doesn't matter what time of day you go as you can still be pushed across.
Do watch out, though, because it is an active railroad and you don't. Want to be trying the kids when a train is coming.
It is, however, the most fun at night. And even better if there's a lightning storm going. Hehehehe.

It was the labor day weekend, what to do what to do? I was too lazy to drive out of town so I decided to go through my Yelp bookmarks to figure out something fun locally.

I wasn't too sure about all the outdoor activities because of the 100 degree weather. Then I saw the ghost tracks! Hmm, all right all right I am gonna go hunt for ghosts! If you don't know the story behind it, just google it. It's apparently pretty well known among locals. I'm actually not into the "ghost" stuff but my friend is. She has done many ghost tours and stuff. Anyways she and I all got excited b/c neither of us had done this ghost tracks before.

We came on a Saturday evening before dark. Based on the address given, we located the tracks easily. The area is in the sticks. It was actually a little scary to begin with. We put the car on neutral then turned it off. In a sudden, my car started moving slowly towards the railroad tracks. When it reached the tracks we could feel it got pushed up then over the tracks!! It was pretty awesome!

We did that maybe 6 times like little kids. It was a lot of fun! One time, we both got out of the car to figure out if the road was actually downhill when it appears uphill. Then my car door was suddenly shut! I started screaming b/c I thought the "ghost" got into my car and was gonna drive it away. But that turned out to be the wind, lol!

By the time we were leaving, it was already dark. The area deff became more scary so we left quickly! My car was also running out of gas which added more freakish factor to it. We had so much fun that evening! Overall, quite unique activity for a boring San Anto weekend. Next time, we will bring the baby powders!

IT WAS SCARY we went to track we cover the car and we came back in police siren scared us WE RUN TO CAR I LOVE IT

Only in San Frantonio would you find so many Shortbus riders...