Crush, Texas
Encyclopedia
Crush, Texas, was a temporary "city" established as a one-day publicity stunt
in 1896. William George Crush, general passenger agent of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
(popularly known as the Katy), conceived the idea to demonstrate a train wreck
as a spectacle
. No admission was charged, and train fares to the crash site were at the reduced rate of US$
2 from any location in Texas. As a result about 40,000 people showed up on September 15, 1896, making the new town of Crush, Texas, temporarily the second-largest city in the state.
Two wells were drilled at the site three miles (5 km) south of the town of West
in McLennan County
. Circus tents from Ringling Brothers
were erected as well as a grandstand. The train engines were painted bright green (engine #999) and bright red (engine #1001), both 4-4-0 American locomotives (two pilot axles, two drive axles, and nothing under the firebox). A special track was built alongside the Katy track so that there was no chance a runaway train could get onto the main line. The trains toured the state for months in advance, advertising the event. On the day of the event, 40,000 people showed up to the new town of Crush, Texas. The Katy Railroad offered spectators from anywhere in the state of Texas train rides to the site for $2.
About 4:00 pm on September 15, 1896, after police had pushed the crowd back to what was thought to be a safe distance, the two trains rolled to opposite ends of a 4 miles (6.4 km) track. The engineers and crew opened the steam to a prearranged setting, rode for exactly 4 turns of the drive wheels, and jumped from the trains. The trains each reached a speed of about 45 miles per hour (20.1 m/s) by the time they met near the anticipated spot.
The impact caused both engine boiler
s to explode. Debris, some pieces as large as half a drive-wheel
, was blown hundreds of feet into the air. Some of the debris came down among the spectators, killing three and injuring several more. Event photographer Jarvis "Joe" Deane lost one eye to a flying bolt.
, who was performing in the region at the time and possibly witnessed the event, wrote a piano piece—"The Great Crush Collision March"—to commemorate the crash. The wreck was featured in an episode of the History Channel series Wild West Tech
.
, known familiarly as the "Katy" railroad. Observing that curiosity-seekers inevitably showed up at train wrecks, Crush persuaded the railway's management to let him pursue a publicity stunt involving the staging of a collision. For the public spectacle, to which the Katy offered to transport spectators for $2 each, on September 15, 1896 near Waco, Texas
, Crush placed two locomotives, facing in the opposite directions, on a 4-mile (6.4-km) track. The event had to be delayed by several hours because the crowd of some 40,000 people resisted being pressed back by the police, to what was supposedly a safe distance. The crews, after tying the throttles open, jumped off and let the engines, pulling wagons loaded with railroad ties, steam
at full power into a head-on collision, the combined speed of which was 90 mi/h (145 km/h). An unanticipated effect, making the intentional accident more dangerous, was that two boilers exploded. Several individuals were wounded by flying debris, and three were killed. A flying bolt took out one eye of the event's photographer, Jarvis "Joe" Deane.
The total kinetic energy
released at the point of impact in the collision was equal to 200 megajoules (MJ), or about 50 kg of TNT.
The event, which became known as the Crash at Crush, was commemorated in "The Great Crush Collision March" by Scott Joplin
, who dedicated the composition to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway.
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
in 1896. William George Crush, general passenger agent of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
(popularly known as the Katy), conceived the idea to demonstrate a train wreck
Train wreck
A train wreck or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler...
as a spectacle
Spectacle
In general, spectacle refers to an event that is memorable for the appearance it creates. Derived in Middle English from c. 1340 as "specially prepared or arranged display" it was borrowed from Old French spectacle, itself a reflection of the Latin spectaculum "a show" from spectare "to view,...
. No admission was charged, and train fares to the crash site were at the reduced rate of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2 from any location in Texas. As a result about 40,000 people showed up on September 15, 1896, making the new town of Crush, Texas, temporarily the second-largest city in the state.
Preparations
West, Texas
West is a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,692 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area....
in McLennan County
McLennan County, Texas
McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 213,517; in 2008 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 230,213. Its seat is Waco. The county is named for Neil McLennan, an early settler....
. Circus tents from Ringling Brothers
Ringling Brothers Circus
The Ringling Brothers Circus was a circus founded in the United States in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling Brothers: Albert , August , Otto , Alfred T. , Charles , John , and Henry...
were erected as well as a grandstand. The train engines were painted bright green (engine #999) and bright red (engine #1001), both 4-4-0 American locomotives (two pilot axles, two drive axles, and nothing under the firebox). A special track was built alongside the Katy track so that there was no chance a runaway train could get onto the main line. The trains toured the state for months in advance, advertising the event. On the day of the event, 40,000 people showed up to the new town of Crush, Texas. The Katy Railroad offered spectators from anywhere in the state of Texas train rides to the site for $2.
Crash
The impact caused both engine boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
s to explode. Debris, some pieces as large as half a drive-wheel
Driving wheel
On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...
, was blown hundreds of feet into the air. Some of the debris came down among the spectators, killing three and injuring several more. Event photographer Jarvis "Joe" Deane lost one eye to a flying bolt.
Aftermath
Crush was immediately fired from the Katy railroad. In light of a lack of negative publicity, however, he was rehired the next day. Ragtime composer Scott JoplinScott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
, who was performing in the region at the time and possibly witnessed the event, wrote a piano piece—"The Great Crush Collision March"—to commemorate the crash. The wreck was featured in an episode of the History Channel series Wild West Tech
Wild West Tech
Wild West Tech was a program that aired on The History Channel in the United States. The show was originally hosted by Keith Carradine , but his brother, David Carradine took over hosting duties for season 2 and subsequent seasons...
.
William Crush
William George Crush was the general passenger agent of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas RailroadMissouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
, known familiarly as the "Katy" railroad. Observing that curiosity-seekers inevitably showed up at train wrecks, Crush persuaded the railway's management to let him pursue a publicity stunt involving the staging of a collision. For the public spectacle, to which the Katy offered to transport spectators for $2 each, on September 15, 1896 near Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, Crush placed two locomotives, facing in the opposite directions, on a 4-mile (6.4-km) track. The event had to be delayed by several hours because the crowd of some 40,000 people resisted being pressed back by the police, to what was supposedly a safe distance. The crews, after tying the throttles open, jumped off and let the engines, pulling wagons loaded with railroad ties, steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
at full power into a head-on collision, the combined speed of which was 90 mi/h (145 km/h). An unanticipated effect, making the intentional accident more dangerous, was that two boilers exploded. Several individuals were wounded by flying debris, and three were killed. A flying bolt took out one eye of the event's photographer, Jarvis "Joe" Deane.
The total kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
released at the point of impact in the collision was equal to 200 megajoules (MJ), or about 50 kg of TNT.
The event, which became known as the Crash at Crush, was commemorated in "The Great Crush Collision March" by Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
, who dedicated the composition to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway.