The History and Impact of Staged Train Wrecks in American Entertainment
- Andy McIlvain
- Aug 28
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 29
The History and Impact of Staged Train Wrecks in American Entertainment
People like to watch things being destroyed.
Today Destruction Derbys with cars is popular.
Did you know that between 1896 into the 1930s staged train wrecks were very popular?
As a child, I thought it hilarious that on the popular TV series "The Adams Family," Gomez Adams would routinely have train wrecks on his model train set.
The History of Train Crashes Staged as Entertainment
"Have You Ever Wanted to See a Train Crash?
Today, people use the phrase "train wreck" to describe a disaster from which you cannot tear your eyes.
More than a century ago, clever hucksters spotted the potential for profit in getting two steam locomotives to smash into each other and charging people to watch the spectacle.
"Crash in Crush"
One of the earliest organized head-on train collisions was the “Crash in Crush,” a spectacular event that took place near Waco, Texas, in September 1896.
A temporary “town” was built and named after the man who dreamed up the idea for the collision, William Crush. Entrance to the venue was free, but to get there, people had to take a train. The fare was $2 from anywhere in Texas. There was a Ringling Brothers circus tent, and a grandstand was erected.
Forty thousand people showed up, making Crush, temporarily, the second-largest community in Texas...' from the article: The History of Train Crashes Staged as Entertainment
Reporter's Notebook: When smashing trains was an American pastime
Video from CBS Evening News
"For 40 years, crashing trains ranked among America's favorite pastimes. "CBS Evening News" co-anchor John Dickerson explains." from the video introduction
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