ERIE — In the gloomy darkness under the city's train station, extension cords, cables, computer monitors and audio equipment were ready.

Halloween was in the offing and Erie's Paranormal Study and Research Group was trying to find the ghosts in the tunnels under the city.

Donned in boots, jackets and headlamps, the search by true believers as well as skeptics began with a prayer. Then they headed in.

Carrie Rodler, 30, possibly the group's staunchest believer, said she sensed death.

"There were strange things in our house when I was a kid — heavy footsteps in the attic when we knew no one was up there," Rodler told the Erie Times-News. "I grew up around it. My family believed in ghosts."

Stacey Gross, 24, the Erie group's newest member, laughed at times during the recent hunt. "Many things are possible, but are they probable? I'm skeptical," Gross said.

The last time the group entered the caves, they used six cameras and six recorders to gather a total of 120 hours of material. When they combed through the results, they heard two words, "help me," which they believe were uttered by the ghost of a young girl who fell to her death from the train station's steps years ago.

After the latest quest, Rodler began reviewing the audio and video recordings. Usually, she admitted, it means watching hours and hours of dust. "Maybe Casper will say hello. I'll let you know."