The Legend of the Headless Signalman

Posted: 04.28.2025 | Updated: 04.28.2025

The tale of the Headless Horseman is whispered around every bonfire and slumber party around Halloween. With a jack-o’-lantern for a head, his story frightens any child who hears it. Yet, the Horseman isn’t the only headless entity that haunts the United States. Tennessee has its very own decapitated phantom who strikes fear into the heart of anyone who sees his light. He is known simply as the Headless Signalman. 

From beheaded apparitions to the ghosts of famous country singers, Nashville has a little bit of everything when it comes to its spectral scene. If you want to learn about the creepier side of Music City and see some of the most haunted sites for yourself, book a ghost tour with Nashville Ghosts. 

What is the Legend of the Headless Signalman?

There are several origin stories behind the Headless Signalman. Some believe he was an unlucky railroad worker who got too close to the tracks while performing his job. Others think he was a wanderer who liked to walk along the tracks as he moved from town to town. 

While we may not know his exact identity, it’s clear that the Signalman was the victim of a terrible train accident, and ever since, he’s been haunting the rails with an ominous light. Is he attempting to protect others from a similar fate? Or is he trying to lure them into joining him in eternal darkness?

The Origins of the Headless Signalman 

The most widely accepted backstory as to who the Headless Signalman was goes back to the 1950s. 

It was a misty, rainy night in Chapel Hill, a town about an hour south of Nashville. After multiple days of hard rain, the fill underneath the train tracks had started to wash out in one spot. To alert incoming trains of the issue, a railroad worker was sent out in the downpour and given a signal light to flash near the hazardous spot over Duck River. 

However, the poor visibility meant that the worker had to stand on the tracks for the conductor of the train to see them.

An L&D train was coming south from Nashville, and the signalman was on the tracks to warn them of the upcoming hazard. After flashing his light at the oncoming train, the worker went to step out of the way, but slipped on the slick tracks. Instead, the worker fell down hard — onto the tracks. 

The train conductor pulled the brakes as quickly as he could, but it was no use. The train was moving too fast, and the engine struck the man. Once the train had slowed to a stop, the conductor raced back to the worker, only to discover that his head had been completely decapitated from his body. The head lay in the mud next to the tracks as the worker’s lantern flickered its last light.

The Story of Skip Adjent

Others believe that the Headless Signalman isn’t a former railway worker but instead is the spirit of Skip Adjent. 

Not much is known about Adjent, other than he was walking along the tracks on June 8, 1942. When a train started barreling toward him, Adjent either didn’t hear it, didn’t move in time, or didn’t try to move. He was struck and killed on the spot. 

The Headless Signalman’s Light Today

In the 1950s, stories started to spread about a strange light that would show up where the railroad tracks crossed Duck River. People started referring to it as the “Chapel Hill Ghost Light,” and before long, young people were bringing dates out to the tracks to try and spy a glimpse of the otherworldly event. 

Those who have seen the light describe it as being different from other lights you might see related to train safety. This light sways back and forth — like a person is holding it. It can also move toward you, and then away, and then suddenly the light will be behind you. 

Over the years, as more and more locals ventured to the tracks, it started becoming quite a dangerous attraction. Some people began bringing guns to try to shoot at the light if they saw it. 

One man was out by himself and saw a light. He was so enamored by it that he didn’t realize he was seeing the light of a real train. The man was struck and killed on the tracks. 

After this, police started arresting people who were found on the tracks. This cut down on the spectators who have recently gone to spot the Signalman’s lights. But that doesn’t mean the light has disappeared. 

Firsthand Experiences 

While many people have seen the lights of the Headless Signalman, several have experienced strange, unexplainable effects while in the light’s path. 

The Grandfather and His Grandsons

Back in the day, a grandpa took his two young grandsons to try to see the mysterious light. 

Before long, they achieved their goal: a lone light swayed in the distance on the tracks. As they saw it, one boy found himself suddenly unable to move. As the three stood on the tracks, the light suddenly started barreling toward them — before vanishing right before reaching them. 

After regaining his ability to move, the boy said he had felt some kind of force take over his body, preventing him from even screaming. 

The Teens in the 1970s

Another famous story about encountering the Headless Signalman’s light revolves around a group of four teenage boys in the 1970s. 

The boys went out at midnight to see if they could spot the light. With no trains around, they stopped their car at the intersection that goes over the tracks, leaving it on if they needed to move out of the way for a train (or sheriff). 

The two boys on the driver’s side looked left, while the passenger side boys looked right. Before long, they could see a light down the tracks on the passenger side. The boys told the driver to move, but to their horror, the car wouldn’t budge. The driver tried changing gears and slamming his foot on the gas, but nothing happened. 

The light was now rapidly approaching, and the teens closed their eyes — sure they were about to die. Instead, they heard a loud thud as the light decreased to a low glow around the car. Before they knew what had happened, the orb of light emerged on the driver’s side, again full vibrancy, and continued down the track away from them. As soon as the light was gone, the car worked just fine. 

When the boys got out of the car, they found deep scratches in the paint that hadn’t been there before. 

Haunted Nashville 

From haunted railroads to possessed auditoriums, Nashville has enough spectral energy to keep any spirit seeker on their toes. If you want to learn more about the ghosts and ghouls that haunt Nashville after dark, book a ghost tour with Nashville Ghosts. You never know who you might see — or what ghostly tune you may hear. 

Want to learn about local legends and creepy creatures? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. For more posts about haunted sites and landmarks around Nashville, be sure to check out our blog. 

Sources:

• https://www.wkrn.com/special-reports/haunted-tennessee/chapel-hill-ghost-light/#:~:text=The%20signalman%20allegedly%20waited%20until,where%20the%20signalman%20had%20fallen.
• https://nashvilleghosts.com/
• https://www.wkrn.com/special-reports/haunted-tennessee/ghost-light-haunts-chapel-hills-railroad-tracks/
• https://lylerussell.net/2022/09/25/tn-gl-episode-2-the-headless-signalman-and-the-chapel-hill-ghost-light/