St. Louis Ghost Train — the spectral light of Saskatchewan's prairies

The St. Louis Ghost Light, also known as the St. Louis Ghost Train, is a luminous phenomenon observed near the village of St. Louis, north of Prince Albert in Saskatchewan. Witnesses have reported seeing a mysterious light that appears along a stretch of abandoned railroad track, behaving as though it were the headlight of an approaching train. The light has been observed for decades, glowing white or sometimes red, moving along the old rail bed before vanishing. Local legend attributes the light to the ghost of a train conductor who was decapitated in a railway accident on the line. The abandoned tracks have been torn up, but the light continues to appear, most frequently on still, cold prairie nights. Scientific investigations have been conducted, with some researchers suggesting the light may be caused by atmospheric refraction of distant automobile headlights on Highway 2. However, residents point out that the light has been reported since before the highway existed, and its behavior — approaching, hovering, splitting into two lights, and retreating — is inconsistent with simple light refraction. The phenomenon has been featured on multiple Canadian television programs and draws curious visitors from across the prairies.