Engineering Tragedy: The Ashtabula Train Disaster

Writen by none314 on February 26, 2023

**Russell A.-** 2 nights back I purchased the video on Vimeo. I just had to post how well done the documentary turned out. I’ve followed the information about the tragedy for years. I’ve been to the cemetery, I’ve read everything I could get my hands on, and I’ve seen some pretty weird less than credible and creepy things. This documentary is gold. Years of research. Consideration for the era, the times, a fair look at the players involved, and facts. Very well done. One cannot “enjoy” watching such a tragedy. Perhaps it’s the scratching of an itch to somehow resolve the question of “Why?” To somehow resolve the mistakes of the past. Human greed? Reliance on what one thinks they know about engineering — and money. It always comes back to money. Money, power, and not scraping a failure to save a buck, or rushing something to save face. The tragedy was a “perfect storm” thankfully resulting in at least some positive changes. My kudos and thanks to those who made this documentary happen.