Case History on Edgar Lowndes: The Train That Never Stopped

Originally Aired: June 8, 1944

Case History on Edgar Lowndes: The Train That Never Stopped

In this darkly psychological episode of Suspense, two of Hollywood’s most iconic actors—Thomas Mitchell and Donald Crisp—deliver powerhouse performances in a tale that unravels the twisted mind of a man haunted by death, guilt, and memory.

Edgar Lowndes is a powerful railroad tycoon tormented by debilitating headaches. Seeking help from psychiatrist Dr. Aronson, Lowndes confesses a series of troubling events: the accidental death of his ailing wife due to a medicine mix-up, and a childhood friend lost in a train wreck. But as Dr. Aronson probes deeper, it becomes clear these events are linked not by misfortune, but by motive.

As memories flood back, Lowndes recounts a chilling childhood trauma—watching his paralyzed father die on train tracks, a death he could have prevented but chose not to. His subconscious guilt has spiraled into a need to relive and repeat the act of killing. With each victim—a friend, a wife, a stranger on a train—Lowndes is symbolically murdering his father all over again.

When the truth surfaces, so does the danger. Lowndes pulls a gun, ready to silence the man who knows too much. But Dr. Aronson turns Lowndes’ mind against itself—using a recorded voice from a previous session to replay the cries of his dying father. The mental break is instant. Lowndes flees—and leaps to his death, believing he’s boarding the train that haunted his dreams.

A chilling masterpiece of psychological drama, Case History on Edgar Lowndes explores inherited trauma, subconscious vengeance, and the fragile boundary between guilt and madness.

Keywords: "Suspense Case History Edgar Lowndes," "Thomas Mitchell Donald Crisp radio drama," "June 1944 Suspense episode," "psychological murder radio story," "Roma Wines suspense classic," "railroad symbolism murder plot," "train trauma and subconscious guilt."

Cast: Thomas Mitchell (Edgar Lowndes), Donald Crisp (Dr. Aronson), with supporting performances by the Suspense radio company. Written by Robert Tallman. Produced and directed by William Spier.