South Carolina: Trainmen see orange saucer
On January 29, 1953, engineer Oscar Huggins and trainmen spotted a reddish-orange saucer-shaped object hovering above treetops near their train between Chester and Lancaster, South Carolina. It accelerated eastward rapidly, vanished, reappeared briefly, then departed.
Background
Witnesses and Location
Engineer Oscar Huggins and several railway workers noticed the phenomenon at around 22:00. The incident took place about a mile ahead of their train on the line from Chester to Lancaster in South Carolina, USA. Later, at Richburg, two further railwaymen at the rear of the engine observed the same object.
Description of the Object
The object appeared as a reddish-orange, saucer-like form hovering just above the treetops. After a few minutes it suddenly accelerated eastward at enormous speed, disappeared from view, reappeared shortly afterwards, and then made off for good.
Significance
This case from Eberhart's UFO timeline is among the early sightings by credible professional witnesses such as railway staff. The newspaper report in the Charlotte Observer of March 23, 1953 documents the observation, which indicates prompt reporting. There are no crash or landing details; it was a purely visual sighting.