‘RIP Our Amazing Friend’: Wrestlers Mourn Death of ’90s Star Ice Train

Ice Train, a professional wrestler who competed in WCW during the 1990s, died on Jan. 23, WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page announced. He was 56 years old. The cause of death has not been announced, but Page shared the news on his Facebook page. 

“It was so Sad to hear, that one of my closest brothers is gone,” Page wrote in the post. “Harold Houge aka H aka Ice Train aka Smooth was a warrior and one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. Our 30 year relationship was filled with laughter & brotherhood. We were always there for each other. Our families are one family. One of my fondest memories was the Christmas the two of us headed into the inner city to help many of the less fortunate families have a better Christmas. As you can see we got on our favorite Christmas outfits and headed out to spread some cheer. I’ve also included one my favorite pictures of H & my mom Sylvia at Payge’s & my wedding. I will put up a tribute video up later next week. I just don’t have the strength to do it yet.”

Train had three stints with WCW from 1993 to ’94, 1996 to ’97 and 2000 to 2001. During his second stint with WCW, Train teamed with Scott Norton to form Fire & Ice. The two would eventually feud in late 1996, according to the Wrestling Observer. When Train returned to WCW in 2000, he was known as M.L. Smooth in the New Blood faction. He competed on the second-to-last-ever episode of WCW Nitro Losing to Kanyon in a five-minute match.

Former WWE and WCW star Marc Mero also posted about Train’s death. “I just heard the devastating news that our longtime friend and Wrestling Superstar Harold Hogue aka Ice Train passed away,” he wrote. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this and immediately called (Diamond Dallas Page) and he confirmed what I was seeing was in fact real. This really hits home as he was truly one of the good guys. Only 56 years young. My heart goes out to his wife and kids and his numerous fans. Heartbroken… RIP our amazing friend.”

Train returned to wrestling in 2019 after being inactive for 18 years. In 2020, Train revealed that he beat a bad case of COVID-19.