The Legend
Growing up in the Southern Illinois town of Belleville, you are going to be fed a urban legend. It is probably the biggest urban legend in the town. A pair of brothers were born in the town nearly 100 years ago and were born albino. Albinism is characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. Now there are many different ways it may have happened, but the died on a railroad track near there house, I will explain in further detail. There is another legend, a few kids from near were riding in a family wagon and they rolled over the track and a wheel got caught. The train came and hit the wagon killing the kids. As far as the Albino Twins legend goes, there are a few different stories, regardless they end up on the tracks dead.
One of the legends, the Albino children lived on a farm house near the railroad. One day they were playing on the tracks and were hit by the train. No record found.
Second of the legends, the twins were harassed in school and bullied. Finally the school bullies took the twins out to the tracks tied them to a car and waited for the train to come and watch the twins die. It is also said they left them on the tracks and came back. No record found.
Third of the legends, it was in the late 1880’s, the Albino family kept to themselves, but they were known throughout the town. Then there was a terrible sickness that spread through town and the towns people lynched the albino twins. They blamed the twins for the sickness and tied them to the tracks and again the train came and killed them. No record found.
Ok, the story goes, if you park your car on the tracks and put the car in neutral, it will begin to roll. There are different ways to do this, but I believe most of them to be incorrect. You have to be on the tracks, not up the hill at the dead end sign, like I have read. Yeah, some people say you have to pull to a dead end sign and you will roll backwards. This does happen, but it is because the road is on and incline. So which ever story you believe or have heard, the albino kids are supposed to be pushing you either off or on the tracks. I always heard off the tracks, I have been out there many times and we stopped on the tracks and rolled backwards. People have said if you put baby powder on your bumber you can see child like hand prints.
Investigation
It had been a good 15 years since the last time I had visited the area. I finally went back recently and, I cannot even recognize the area. The only thing I remember is the house that still stands not far from where the tracks used to be. The road was freshly oiled and chipped and the hump where the railroad track used to be is now gone. The dead end sign seems to have moved closer to the other end of the road. I was very disappointed in what I saw. I went again with Derrick and he was for sure disappointed. We found nothing at all, but we did try to see if the car would roll and it did roll. The road has many little hills and it pretty much goes all up hill anyway.
My Reactions
Well, I could not find any evidence about any killings on the railroad tracks in that area or at all. With the investigation, we found nothing at all. No evidence the tracks even existed. I followed directions found online and when we arrived, it did feel familiar and the house is still there, as I said. I feel maybe the owners of the land got sick of people showing up in the middle of the night playing out there private street changed everything.
I do not believe anything ever happened. I am not sure where to story comes from or where it began. I originally heard it from my mother when I started high school in 1994. She heard is when she started high school in 1973, so the legends is at least 40 years. I just believe it is a really cool urban legend that I think everyone should try, but since it has changed I don’t think it is as entertaining.
Directions to the Albino Tracks
I like to give the directions I take to these places so you all can enjoy and maybe have an experience. I will warn you, this is on someone’s property and it is deep on the back roads in Belleville between Mascoutah.
- If you start at Belleville East High School, head down Carlyle Ave towards Scott Air Force Base
- Take the right onto South Green Mount Rd
- Turn left onto IL-158/IL-177 E/Mascoutah Ave
- Turn right on Rentchler Rd
- Turn right on Rentchler Station Rd.
- Turn left onto Overlook dr.
When you get onto Overlook dr. you will see a dead end sign on the right and further down the road a brick house. Please do not disturb the people and show some respect. The legend says, stop at the dead end sign, put the car in nuetrel and let it roll.
BE CAREFUL and make sure you have plenty of gas in your car.
I would love it if anyone wants to share memories of when they went to the tracks or if my info is a little different…Please feel free to share.
