After reading “Haunted Montana” by Karen Stevens, I decided to venture out into Billings to see if I could find some ghostly spirits living in our town. It is spooky season after all, right?  

Stevens mentions in her book she visited Billings back in 1999, and stopped at the train station’s Depot for some lunch and a tour. So, it inspired me to do the same. Here’s what I found.  

Some back history about the train station in Billings:  

The movie “Far and Away” starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise is about the Oklahoma Land Rush, and was partially filmed here in Billings. They even used all local extras for the movie. Hundreds of people volunteered.  No CGI here folks. If you’ve seen the movie, then perhaps you’ve noticed the amount of people they used for filming. 

But the weird thing about the filming at the station is that the filming crew noticed their cans of paint being tipped over for no apparent reason. They didn’t accidentally bump them, but yet every day while filming they noticed paint was spilled. Always in the same area. 

Credit: Canva
Credit: Canva
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As the filming of the movie continued, the crew noticed a man who didn’t fit the description of anyone working on the set. He was a stalky man with a striped, train conductor hat and apparently this man kept checking his pocket watch. The crew also noticed this man would disappear behind walls and columns. Spooky!  

Credit: Google + Canva
Credit: Google + Canva
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During my stroll by train station, I asked an older gentleman if he’s lived in Billings awhile. He said he has. So, of course I had to ask him if he’s heard anything about the train conductor ghost.  

"Oh yeah, people chat about him every so often. Some claim to see him roam the platform with a light.”  

I have a theory as to why this conductor ghost never shows himself fully to passersby.  

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Credit: Canva
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He is a ghost, living in the time of World War I or II. This train station is stained with sorrowful memories of goodbyes and cheerful hellos during the wars. That energy still remains today, as there’s nobody walking around this once crowded train station. 

Credit: Google Maps
Credit: Google Maps
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Is it possible this man is a train conductor who is stuck in time here in Billings?  

It’s possible. I’ve seen ghosts, and continue to see them from time to time. I didn’t see the train conductor this time. Maybe I’ll wait until dark, when the shadows play tricks on me. I’ll let you know what I find once darkness falls.  

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