YEAR: 2012

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: March

DATE: 6

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Jackson County

LOCATION DETAILS: Along Illinois Route 3 west of Murphysboro.

NEAREST TOWN: Murphysboro

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois Route 3

OBSERVED: I was crossing the railroad tracks when I saw two, one standing and one sitting down. I have seen them in this spot before.

OTHER WITNESSES: None

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 11 a.m.

ENVIRONMENT: Woods, swampy area and fields.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

A view of the woods along the railroad right-of-way.

This is the witness' second sighting near this same railroad crossing. His previous sighting can be read about here:
Report # 36306

I met with the witness and we drove together to the sighting location. The first name of the witness has been changed for this interview.

Tom - I was crossing the railroad tracks in my truck. You could see him, actually sitting and you could also see the one standing. The one standing was real big, tall and skinny, that is one I have been seeing mostly.

Stan - Could you see the whole body?

Tom - Yip, yip. I didn't try to do anything because I looked down the railroad track and I saw the lights of the train coming, and I just set there, and I had some vehicles coming and wanting to get around me, I just took off. I wished I had of pulled in here. But I didn't have my camera.

Stan - And what time of day was this?

Tom - It was around 11 or 11:30 a.m. These were all the times I have seen him. And when I look back up there, I seen that train coming, this is why I am thinking, maybe he is trying to jump or catch a train and move on around to the bottoms.

Stan - And where were they when you first noticed them.

Tom - See where the greenery starts? Right there. [Mike motions to an area about 100 yards from where we were standing at the railroad crossing.]

Stan - And what were they doing?

Mike - One was sitting but the other one was standing straight up and this is the one I have always seen. He has been standing straight up and looking. He has always been off the track, he never gets up on the tracks.

Stan - And what did he do?

Tom - He was just standing, now the one I saw moved his arm. See there were two of them, there weren't just one, there were two.

Stan - And what did you do?

Tom - I just sat there and watched. I didn't dare get out of my truck. I had some cars behind me and they started honking and I didn't want to point in that direction. You know, I didn't get excited. I just sat there and thought to myself "I wish Stan were here."

Stan - So how many seconds did you get to see him?

Tom - Maybe a minute before the cars got to coming up behind me. And this road is traveled pretty good.

Stan - How tall would you estimate they were?

Tom - I am going to have to say, just an educated guess, that they were a good 8 foot, maybe more. But I never saw both of them standing.

Stan - And what color?

Tom - Black, pure black.

Stan - Were you ever able to see any facial features.

Tom - No.

Stan - And what about weight.

Tom - Well, the one sitting, I would say 400 or 500 lbs.

Stan - And what about the one standing?

Tom - I am guessing maybe 450 lbs. I believe it was a male and female. I am carrying my camera from here on out. They'll just have to get used to seeing that.

About BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

Stan Courtney has a special interest in wildlife audio recording. He has attended numerous BFRO Expeditions. See Stan's blog StanCourtney.com for recordings he has collected over the years.

Stan Courtney can be reached at illinois@bfro.net