Crush Collision Staged Wreck

On August 27, 1896, railroad promoter William George Crush organized a head-on collision between two unmanned locomotives near Waco, Texas, to draw crowds and promote the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Over 30,000 spectators watched as the engines, each pulling cars, smashed at 45 mph, creating a spectacular explosion when their boilers burst. Two people were killed by flying debris and many injured, highlighting the dangers of steam technology. The event became legendary in rail lore and inspired songs, though it led to stricter safety regulations for public demonstrations.