October 19, 2025 • 25 mins
A midnight circus run. A hot axle on a curve. An empty troop train racing through signals toward a sleeping engineer. Before dawn near Ivanhoe, Indiana, steel met wood, kerosene met sparks, and one of America’s worst rail disasters turned a rolling home into a furnace. We walk through the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Train crash of 1918 step by step—how the show moved by rail, why old wooden cars and open-flame lighting created lethal conditions, and how wartime fatigue and overworked crews pushed a fragile system past its limits.
We trace the collision from the brakeman’s flare to the grinding path of the locomotive through multiple sleepers, then into the desperate escapes that drew on acrobat strength and performer grit. Local responders and a delayed fire brigade faced an inferno measured in minutes, not hours. The aftermath is as human as it is historical: the grim work of identification, entire acts erased, and a community forced to rebuild while grieving. At Showman’s Rest, stone elephants bow over shared graves—some named, many marked unknown—reminding us that spectacle and risk have always traveled together.
The legal fight centers on engineer Alonzo Sargent, the manslaughter charge, and a not-guilty verdict that split public opinion. We unpack the evidence, the defense’s medical claims, and the broader industry context that made fatigue inevitable. From there, we connect the dots to reforms: phasing out wooden passenger cars, tightening hours-of-service limits, and advancing signal enforcement and automatic braking so safety doesn’t depend on a single tired human. It’s a story about accountability, design choices, and the slow march of rail safety that too often follows tragedy.
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Special thank you to Lunarfall Audio for producing and doing all the heavy lifting on audio editing since April 13, 2025, the Murder of Christopher Meyer episode https://lunarfallaudio.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
Who doesn't love the circus?
The death-defying acts ofacrobats on the highwire?
The trapeze artists swinging toand fro?
The creepy ass clowns doingwhatever it is clowns do.
The smell of animal shit and BOfrom all the unwashed asses
gathered together under the bigtop.
(00:21):
The freak shows and all thedrugs.
Okay, maybe, just maybe not thatlast one.
While not as popular today, thecircus used to be one of the
biggest forms of entertainment,with hundreds of them
criss-crossing the country inthe late 19th and early 20th
century by train or by road,which would inevitably lead to
(00:43):
accidents.
And one of the worst accidentshappened on the morning of June
22nd, 1918.
So, what happened?
I'm Andrew, and this isHistory's A Disaster.
Tonight we are diving into theHagenbeck Wallace Circus Train
(01:06):
disaster of 1918 that claimedthe lives of over 80 people.
And tonight's episode is broughtto you by the Flying Squirrel
Sleep Biters.
Is the need for sleep drivingyou nutty?
Need to stay awake to study forthat big test?
Or got a big day on the job?
Then turn to the FlyingSquirrel.
(01:26):
With its patent pending andnon-FDA approved formula, Flying
Squirrel no sleep pills willkeep you awake no matter how
warm and sleepy you get.
Now the Hagenbach Wallace Circusstarted off as a small traveling
circus that would eventually putmost others to shame.
By 1918, it had establisheditself as one of the top
(01:51):
traveling circuses in America,second only to the legendary
Wrinkling Brothers.
The show featured exoticanimals, death-defying acrobats,
horseback riders, and clowns whoentertained audiences across the
country.
Like all major circuses backthen, Hagenbeck Wallace traveled
by train from town to town.
(02:12):
The sheer size of these massivecircuses made trains an outright
necessity.
They employed hundreds ofpeople, from world-famous
performers all the way down tothe rastabouts who set up and
took down the Big Top, cared forthe animals, and the support
staff that actually managed thecountless things needed to keep
(02:33):
the show on the road.
Many of them lived on the trainsyear-round, making the railroad
cars their homes as theytraveled across the country.
Families traveled together,children were born on the road,
and this would lead to atight-knit community among the
show people who shared thisnomadic lifestyle.
In June of 1918, the circus wasin the middle of its summer tour
(02:56):
through the Midwest.
The nation was deep into WorldWar I, which had created labor
shortages and strained thecountry's infrastructure,
including the railroads.
Many experienced railroadworkers had been drafted or had
volunteered to go off to war,and those who remained often
worked long hard hours to keepthe trains running.
(03:16):
And this would play a big partinto the coming disaster.
On the evening of June 21, 1918,the Hagenbeck Wallace Circus
finished up its show in MichiganCity, Indiana.
The show had gone well, and thecrowds had been huge and eager
to be entertained.
As was standard practice, oncethe last of the crowds left, the
(03:38):
rustabouts immediately began theenormous task of breaking down
the operation.
The big top came down, equipmentwas packed, animals were loaded
into their cars, and performersgathered their belongings.
The circus traveled on twoseparate trains.
Making up the first circus trainsection was six sleeper cars
(04:00):
plus all of the animals andtheir handlers.
The second train would meet thefirst in Hammond, Indiana.
Except for the New York CentralRailroad engine, its
accompanying tender, and themandatory New York Central
caboose, all of the railroadcars were old wooden-framed
limited service rolling stockowned by the Hagenbach-Wallace
(04:21):
Circus, meaning they were allold pieces of shit made almost
exclusively out of wood.
By order of the government, theoverall condition of the rolling
stock, though still legal tooperate on the rail system, it
was required that all the circustrain equipment be limited to
speeds of 25 miles per hour orless.
(04:42):
The second circus train was madeof 20 of these shitty wooden
cars pulled by a New YorkCentral Railroad engine and had
roughly 400 circus performersand workers on it.
Many of these cars in the secondtrain were specially designed
sleeping cars where theperformers and workers slept and
lived between stops.
(05:04):
The train departed Michigan Cityaround midnight, heading south
towards Hammond, where thecircus was scheduled to perform
the following day.
The route would take them allalong the Michigan Central
Railroad tracks.
The sleeping cars were full ofexhausted circus people who had
worked long into the nightpacking up the show.
Performers, roustabouts, animalhandlers, and their families
(05:27):
settled into their berths,expecting to wake up at their
next destination.
Many of them fell asleepquickly, lulled by the familiar
rhythm of the rails.
In car 3, members of the trapezetroops left.
Car 4 housed the circus band.
Other cars contained the show'slaborers, its cooks, equestrian
performers, and administrativestaff.
(05:50):
The train rumbled through thedarkness of the Indiana
countryside, making its waysteadily southward.
Behind the circus train, anothertrain was scheduled to follow
the same route.
The rail line was seeing heavyuse by the military to move
soldiers from the west coasteastwards where they would be
shipped off to Europe.
This second train was an emptytroop transport train, engine
(06:13):
number 8485 of the MichiganCentral Railroad, which had just
dropped off soldiers and wasreturning back to the West
Coast.
The train consisted of alocomotive, a tender, and 21
empty wooden coaches.
At the throttle was engineerAlonzo Sargent.
Sargent was an experiencedengineer, but on this night,
(06:35):
several things were workingagainst him.
He had already worked a longshift and fatigue was setting
in.
Additionally, later reportssuggested that Sgt.
While other accounts hinted thatmaybe he had a few drinks
beforehand.
But none of this has ever beenproven.
(06:57):
As the empty troop trainfollowed the circus train
through the night, it shouldhave maintained a safe distance.
The railroad signal system wasdesigned to prevent a rear-end
collision.
The train tracks were dividedinto blocks, and signal lights
indicated whether the trackahead was clear or occupied by
another train.
(07:17):
When the circus train passedthrough each block, it should
have triggered warning signalsthat would alert any following
train.
However, as Sergeant's trainapproached the area near
Ivanhoe, Indiana, a smallcommunity roughly 30 miles south
of Michigan City, something wenthorribly wrong.
(07:39):
Multiple warning signals alertedSergeant that the circus train
was ahead of him on the sametrack.
There was a yellow cautionsignal two miles before the
collision point, followed by ared stop signal that was clearly
visible.
But Sergeant had assumed thatthe line would clear before he
made it through, so hemaintained speed and kept on
(08:01):
going.
And at some point during thisride, Sergeant shut the windows
in the engine, blocking out thecold wind that had been ripping
through and keeping him awake.
As the wind was blocked out, thecabin of the engine warmed up.
In the warm, cozy environment ofthe engine, the warmth lulled
the overworked and tiredengineer to sleep.
(08:21):
Ahead of him on the tracks, thecircus train had come to a stop.
While going through a curve, thebrakeman in the caboose, Oscar
Tim, spotted an overheating axleand called the train to a stop
so they could look into it.
During their investigation intoit, Tim spotted the troop
transport train coming andrealized they were not slowing
(08:42):
down.
Tim estimated their speed around25 miles per hour based off the
smoke plume.
In an effort to alert theoncoming train, Tim rushed
toward the train waving a flareas a signal.
The train showed no signs ofslowing down.
In a last-ditch effort, as thetrain swept past him, he threw
the flare at the train engine,striking the window, but to no
(09:05):
avail.
The train kept going.
150 tons of train were barrelingdown on the stopped circus
train.
And at roughly 4 a.m.
on the morning of June 22nd, theempty troop train slammed into
the rear of the stationarycircus train with terrible
force.
(09:28):
The impact was devastating.
The heavy locomotive of thetroop train traveling at full
speed smashed the steel frame ofthe caboose apart.
Unfazed, the engine kept going,pushing the damaged frame of the
caboose ahead of it.
The next car was a sleeper forthe unmarried and single workers
of the circus.
(09:48):
The unrecognizable twisted massof the caboose frame being
pushed in front of the engine'snose drove into and under the
wood sleeper.
Instantly the engine begangrinding and breaking everything
in its path.
Wall and floorboards, frametimbers, bunks, fixtures,
dividers, bedding, and peoplewere all added to the growing
(10:10):
pile of destruction being shovedahead of the train.
Some people were lucky enough tobe tossed aside and away from
the rolling devastation.
After pushing its way completelythrough the rearmost sleeper,
the engine impacted sleepernumber 16, treating it the same
way and immediately adding itand its occupants to the pile
(10:31):
being pushed by the engine'snose.
Still it continued on, smashingits way completely through the
next car, Sleeper 15, and mostof the way through Sleeper 17,
before finally grinding to ahalt.
The sound of the collision hadbeen tremendous, described by
nearby residents as similar toan explosion.
The screeching of metal, thesplintering of wood, and the
(10:53):
screams of the wounded piercedthe morning air.
Those in the forward cars of thecircus train who survived the
initial impact were thrown fromtheir berths, jolted awake into
a nightmare.
But the horror was onlybeginning for the survivors,
desperately trying to freethemselves from the wreckage.
The collision ruptured gas linesand overturned kerosene lamps
(11:15):
that were used to light most ofthe train cars.
Within moments, flames eruptedfrom the wreckage.
The wooden cars, old and dry,caught fire immediately.
The fire spread quickly, fed bythe wood, cloth, and other
flammable materials that filledthe train.
Survivors trapped in thewreckage found themselves facing
a horrific choice (11:34):
remain trapped and burned, or attempt
to escape through the twistedmetal and splintered wood,
possibly at the cost of severeinjury.
Many of those in the rear carsnever had that chance.
They were either killed by theinitial impact or trapped so
thoroughly in the wreckage thatescape was impossible before the
(11:56):
flames consumed them.
The fire was burning hot enoughto start melting metal bits of
the train.
The screams of those trapped inthe flames could be heard by
rescuers who were helpless toreach them.
Those who could escape did so byany means possible.
Some crawled through shatteredwindows, cutting themselves on
broken glass.
Others clawed their way throughgaps in the wreckage, squeezing
(12:19):
through impossibly small spaces.
Performers who had spent theirlives developing flexibility and
strength now used every bit oftheir training to escape the
death trap that had been theirhome.
Survivors emerged from thewreckage in various states of
injury and undress, many of themin their pajamas or less.
Some were burnt, others hadbroken bones or severe
(12:42):
lacerations.
The scene was chaotic andhellish, illuminated by the
orange glow of the flames.
Those who managed to escapeimmediately turned to try to
help others, but the fire wastoo intense.
They could only watch in horroras the flames burnt their
friends, their families, andtheir colleagues.
The engineer of the circus trainand some of the crew from the
(13:04):
forward cars which had escapedthe worst of the impact of fire
rushed back to help.
Local residents, awakened by thesound of the collision, hurried
to the scene, but there waslittle they could do.
The fire department from nearbyHammond was called, but it would
be nearly 30 minutes after thecollision before they could
arrive.
By then the fire had taken agrip on the wreckage and there
(13:26):
was little they could do to stopit.
It would be another 30 minutesbefore a rescue train could be
brought in and its hoses broughtto bear on the fire before they
could start getting it put out.
By the end, the rear section ofthe circus train was a smoking
(13:48):
ruin.
Four cars had been completelydestroyed, reduced to twisted
metal frames and piles of ash.
Bodies lay scattered around thewreckage, some burned beyond
recognition, others clearlyshowing the terrible injuries
they had sustained.
Rescue workers and volunteersorganized themselves as best
(14:08):
they could.
The injured were carried awayfrom the wreckage and laid out
on the grass beside the tracks,where doctors and nurses who had
rushed to the scene begantreating them as best they
could.
The most severely injured weretransported to hospitals in
Hammond and nearby Gary.
It would take days following theaccident to clear the wreckage.
(14:28):
Special teams were called in toremove the broken train cars as
teams searched the debris forbodies.
The task of recovering andidentifying the dead was grim
and difficult.
Many of them were burned sobadly that identification was
impossible using the methodsavailable in 1918.
Some victims were identified byjewelry, dental work, or by
(14:51):
physical characteristics thathad managed to survive the
flames.
Over a dozen would never beidentified at all.
The circus community began theheartbreaking process of
determining who had survived andwho had died.
Names were called out, and theresponses or lack thereof told
the story.
Entire acts had been wiped out,families had been destroyed, the
(15:14):
close-knit community hadsuffered a blow from which it
would never fully recover.
In the days following thedisaster, investigators began
the process of determining whathad happened and who was
responsible.
The physical evidence painted aclear picture.
The signal system had beenfunctioning properly, the
warning signals had beendisplayed, the circus train had
(15:37):
been stationary on the tracks,properly positioned, and showing
its rear lights as required.
So the investigation turned itsattention to Engineer Alonzo
Sargent.
He had managed to survive thecollision with only minor
injuries, and his testimonywould be absolutely crucial.
However, Sergeant claimed tohave no memory of the events
(16:00):
leading up to the crash, whichis pretty fucking convenient.
He maintained that he had beenfollowing proper procedures and
had no explanation for why histrain had failed to stop or slow
down despite the warningsignals.
Probably because he was fuckingsleeping.
Witnesses who had seen the trooptrain in the moments before the
(16:20):
collision testified that itshowed no signs of slowing.
The train's brakes had not beenapplied until the moment of
impact, far too late to preventthe collision.
The physical evidence at thescene supported the theory that
Sgt.
Until the moment of impactjolted him awake.
(16:42):
The investigation also looked atthe broader context of the
accident.
The railroad industry in 1918was under tremendous strain due
to the war.
Many experienced workers hadbeen drafted, and those who
remained often worked excessivehours.
Safety standards had beenallowed to slip in the rush to
keep trains moving.
The use of wooden passengercars, which were known to be
(17:05):
fire hazards, continued despitethe availability of safer steel
cars.
They just happened to be moreexpensive.
And you know, why spend money onsafety?
Sargent would be arrested andcharged with manslaughter.
His trial became a focus ofnational attention with the
circus community and the generalpublic demanding justice for the
(17:25):
victims.
His trial began in September,just three months after the
crash.
The prosecution had a prettystraightforward case.
(17:47):
The evidence was overwhelming.
However, Sergeant's defenseattorneys argued that their
client had suffered from atemporary physical ailment that
had caused him to loseconsciousness, not mere sleep,
but an actual medical emergencythat he could not have
prevented.
They brought in medical expertswho testified about various
(18:10):
conditions that could causesudden unconsciousness.
The defense also highlighted thedifficult working conditions
faced by railroad engineersduring the war years.
Sgt.
So, basically, it was all thesystems' fault who was as much
(18:33):
to blame as any individual, butmostly it was the system's.
Survivors testified about thehorror of the crash and fire.
The families of victims demandedjustice.
But the legal standard formanslaughter required proving
that Sgt.
And the defense had introducedenough doubt about whether he
(18:56):
had willfully ignored his dutiesor had suffered an unforeseeable
medical emergency.
In the end, the jury foundSergeant not guilty, which was a
bit controversial and sparkedoutrage among many of the circus
folk and the general public atlarge.
Critics argued that the railroadindustry had protected one of
(19:18):
its own at the expense ofjustice for the victims.
Supporters of the verdictmaintained that the prosecution
had failed to prove its casebeyond a reasonable doubt.
Regardless of the verdict, Sgt.
He would never work again as anengineer and he would have to
live with this ship for the restof his life.
(19:39):
And some of the accounts of hislife afterwards say he died poor
and alone, shunned by everyoneand living in misery at the
memory of what had happened.
Many of the victims of the crashhad no families to claim them,
no money for funerals, and noplace to be buried.
The unidentified victims facedthe prospect of being buried in
(20:01):
unmarked puppers' graves.
The Showman's League of America,a fraternal organization of
circus and entertainmentprofessionals, stepped in to
ensure that the victims receiveda dignified burial.
They purchased a large plot inWoodlawn Cemetery in Forest
Park, Illinois, a suburb justoutside of Chicago.
(20:21):
This plot became known asShowman's Rust.
On June 26th, just four daysafter the disaster, a mass
funeral was held for thevictims.
Thousands of people were inattendance, including circus
performers from shows across thecountry who had interrupted
(20:43):
their tours to pay theirrespects.
The funeral procession stretchedfor blocks, and the grief and
mourning was immense.
At Showman's Rest, the victimswere buried together.
Some graves bore names, whileothers were marked simply as
unknown male or unknown female.
The Showman's League erectedmonuments to commemorate the
(21:04):
dead.
Five large stone elephants,heads bowed in mourning, were
placed at the site.
The elephants remain there tothis day, standing eternal vigil
over the graves.
Showman's Rest would becomesacred ground for the circus
community.
Every year, circus performersand enthusiasts gather at the
site to remember the victims andcelebrate the culture and
(21:26):
community that the circusrepresented.
This disaster would have lastingeffects on the circus industry.
Its immediate impact waspractical.
The show had lost a significantportion of its workforce and
many of its performers.
However, in the tradition of thecircus, the show must go on.
So, they borrowed performersfrom other circuses, hired new
(21:49):
workers, and resumed touringwithin weeks of the crash.
But despite this, the emotionaland psychological toll was
immense.
The circus community was smalland tightly knit, and everyone
knew someone who had died orbeen injured in the accident.
The tragedy cast a shadow overthe entire crowd.
Many performers became moreaware of the dangers of their
(22:12):
lifestyle and left the circusfor safer occupations.
And the Hagenbeck Wallace Circuswould never fully recover.
While it continued to run andeven enjoy some success in the
early 20s, the show had lostmuch of what had made it
special.
Many of its best performers andworkers had died in the crash,
(22:32):
so it was eventually purchasedby the Wringling Brothers in
1929 and would continue to rununtil 1938 when it finally
ended.
The crash would also make animpact for railroad safety.
Yet, as always, rail reform wasslow.
The accident showed the dangersof wooden passenger cars, which
(22:53):
they knew about for years.
When wooden cars caught fire,they became death traps.
Steel cars were available andmuch safer, but they were also
more expensive, and we all knowhow much companies just love to
spend money, especially on sillylittle things like safety.
It would be several more yearsbefore these shitty wooden cars
(23:15):
were completely phased out.
The accident also showed theproblem of engineer fatigue.
Railroad workers often workedexcessive hours and the danger
of fatigue-related accidentswere highly documented.
However, strong regulationslimiting work hours and ensuring
adequate rest periods were notin place.
(23:37):
It would take several moreaccidents and several more
deaths before real reform wouldhappen.
The signal system at Ivanhoe hadworked as designed, but the
accident showed that signalsalone were not good enough if
engineers chose to ignore themor miss them.
This led to discussions about amore robust safety system,
(23:59):
including automatic brakingsystems that would stop trains
regardless of engineer action.
Such systems were eventuallydeveloped and implemented, but
it would take several more yearsbefore they were widely set up.
And that was the Great CircusTrain Disaster of 1918.
(24:21):
Thanks for listening, and if youliked the show, please consider
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gmail.com with questions,comments, or suggestions.
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TikTok, YouTube, YouTube,whatever.
(24:45):
And share the episode.
Your friends will love it.
And take care of yourself outthere.
Chase that dream.
Live for today.
Because tomorrow is neverguaranteed.
Thanks and goodbye.
Who doesn't love the circus?
The death-defying acts ofacrobats on the highwire?
The trapeze artists swinging toand fro?
The creepy ass clowns doingwhatever it is clowns do.
The smell of animal shit and BOfrom all the unwashed asses
gathered together under the bigtop.
(00:21):
The freak shows and all thedrugs.
Okay, maybe, just maybe not thatlast one.
While not as popular today, thecircus used to be one of the
biggest forms of entertainment,with hundreds of them
criss-crossing the country inthe late 19th and early 20th
century by train or by road,which would inevitably lead to
(00:43):
accidents.
And one of the worst accidentshappened on the morning of June
22nd, 1918.
So, what happened?
I'm Andrew, and this isHistory's A Disaster.
Tonight we are diving into theHagenbeck Wallace Circus Train
(01:06):
disaster of 1918 that claimedthe lives of over 80 people.
And tonight's episode is broughtto you by the Flying Squirrel
Sleep Biters.
Is the need for sleep drivingyou nutty?
Need to stay awake to study forthat big test?
Or got a big day on the job?
Then turn to the FlyingSquirrel.
(01:26):
With its patent pending andnon-FDA approved formula, Flying
Squirrel no sleep pills willkeep you awake no matter how
warm and sleepy you get.
Now the Hagenbach Wallace Circusstarted off as a small traveling
circus that would eventually putmost others to shame.
By 1918, it had establisheditself as one of the top
(01:51):
traveling circuses in America,second only to the legendary
Wrinkling Brothers.
The show featured exoticanimals, death-defying acrobats,
horseback riders, and clowns whoentertained audiences across the
country.
Like all major circuses backthen, Hagenbeck Wallace traveled
by train from town to town.
(02:12):
The sheer size of these massivecircuses made trains an outright
necessity.
They employed hundreds ofpeople, from world-famous
performers all the way down tothe rastabouts who set up and
took down the Big Top, cared forthe animals, and the support
staff that actually managed thecountless things needed to keep
(02:33):
the show on the road.
Many of them lived on the trainsyear-round, making the railroad
cars their homes as theytraveled across the country.
Families traveled together,children were born on the road,
and this would lead to atight-knit community among the
show people who shared thisnomadic lifestyle.
In June of 1918, the circus wasin the middle of its summer tour
(02:56):
through the Midwest.
The nation was deep into WorldWar I, which had created labor
shortages and strained thecountry's infrastructure,
including the railroads.
Many experienced railroadworkers had been drafted or had
volunteered to go off to war,and those who remained often
worked long hard hours to keepthe trains running.
(03:16):
And this would play a big partinto the coming disaster.
On the evening of June 21, 1918,the Hagenbeck Wallace Circus
finished up its show in MichiganCity, Indiana.
The show had gone well, and thecrowds had been huge and eager
to be entertained.
As was standard practice, oncethe last of the crowds left, the
(03:38):
rustabouts immediately began theenormous task of breaking down
the operation.
The big top came down, equipmentwas packed, animals were loaded
into their cars, and performersgathered their belongings.
The circus traveled on twoseparate trains.
Making up the first circus trainsection was six sleeper cars
(04:00):
plus all of the animals andtheir handlers.
The second train would meet thefirst in Hammond, Indiana.
Except for the New York CentralRailroad engine, its
accompanying tender, and themandatory New York Central
caboose, all of the railroadcars were old wooden-framed
limited service rolling stockowned by the Hagenbach-Wallace
(04:21):
Circus, meaning they were allold pieces of shit made almost
exclusively out of wood.
By order of the government, theoverall condition of the rolling
stock, though still legal tooperate on the rail system, it
was required that all the circustrain equipment be limited to
speeds of 25 miles per hour orless.
(04:42):
The second circus train was madeof 20 of these shitty wooden
cars pulled by a New YorkCentral Railroad engine and had
roughly 400 circus performersand workers on it.
Many of these cars in the secondtrain were specially designed
sleeping cars where theperformers and workers slept and
lived between stops.
(05:04):
The train departed Michigan Cityaround midnight, heading south
towards Hammond, where thecircus was scheduled to perform
the following day.
The route would take them allalong the Michigan Central
Railroad tracks.
The sleeping cars were full ofexhausted circus people who had
worked long into the nightpacking up the show.
Performers, roustabouts, animalhandlers, and their families
(05:27):
settled into their berths,expecting to wake up at their
next destination.
Many of them fell asleepquickly, lulled by the familiar
rhythm of the rails.
In car 3, members of the trapezetroops left.
Car 4 housed the circus band.
Other cars contained the show'slaborers, its cooks, equestrian
performers, and administrativestaff.
(05:50):
The train rumbled through thedarkness of the Indiana
countryside, making its waysteadily southward.
Behind the circus train, anothertrain was scheduled to follow
the same route.
The rail line was seeing heavyuse by the military to move
soldiers from the west coasteastwards where they would be
shipped off to Europe.
This second train was an emptytroop transport train, engine
(06:13):
number 8485 of the MichiganCentral Railroad, which had just
dropped off soldiers and wasreturning back to the West
Coast.
The train consisted of alocomotive, a tender, and 21
empty wooden coaches.
At the throttle was engineerAlonzo Sargent.
Sargent was an experiencedengineer, but on this night,
(06:35):
several things were workingagainst him.
He had already worked a longshift and fatigue was setting
in.
Additionally, later reportssuggested that Sgt.
While other accounts hinted thatmaybe he had a few drinks
beforehand.
But none of this has ever beenproven.
(06:57):
As the empty troop trainfollowed the circus train
through the night, it shouldhave maintained a safe distance.
The railroad signal system wasdesigned to prevent a rear-end
collision.
The train tracks were dividedinto blocks, and signal lights
indicated whether the trackahead was clear or occupied by
another train.
(07:17):
When the circus train passedthrough each block, it should
have triggered warning signalsthat would alert any following
train.
However, as Sergeant's trainapproached the area near
Ivanhoe, Indiana, a smallcommunity roughly 30 miles south
of Michigan City, something wenthorribly wrong.
(07:39):
Multiple warning signals alertedSergeant that the circus train
was ahead of him on the sametrack.
There was a yellow cautionsignal two miles before the
collision point, followed by ared stop signal that was clearly
visible.
But Sergeant had assumed thatthe line would clear before he
made it through, so hemaintained speed and kept on
(08:01):
going.
And at some point during thisride, Sergeant shut the windows
in the engine, blocking out thecold wind that had been ripping
through and keeping him awake.
As the wind was blocked out, thecabin of the engine warmed up.
In the warm, cozy environment ofthe engine, the warmth lulled
the overworked and tiredengineer to sleep.
(08:21):
Ahead of him on the tracks, thecircus train had come to a stop.
While going through a curve, thebrakeman in the caboose, Oscar
Tim, spotted an overheating axleand called the train to a stop
so they could look into it.
During their investigation intoit, Tim spotted the troop
transport train coming andrealized they were not slowing
(08:42):
down.
Tim estimated their speed around25 miles per hour based off the
smoke plume.
In an effort to alert theoncoming train, Tim rushed
toward the train waving a flareas a signal.
The train showed no signs ofslowing down.
In a last-ditch effort, as thetrain swept past him, he threw
the flare at the train engine,striking the window, but to no
(09:05):
avail.
The train kept going.
150 tons of train were barrelingdown on the stopped circus
train.
And at roughly 4 a.m.
on the morning of June 22nd, theempty troop train slammed into
the rear of the stationarycircus train with terrible
force.
(09:28):
The impact was devastating.
The heavy locomotive of thetroop train traveling at full
speed smashed the steel frame ofthe caboose apart.
Unfazed, the engine kept going,pushing the damaged frame of the
caboose ahead of it.
The next car was a sleeper forthe unmarried and single workers
of the circus.
(09:48):
The unrecognizable twisted massof the caboose frame being
pushed in front of the engine'snose drove into and under the
wood sleeper.
Instantly the engine begangrinding and breaking everything
in its path.
Wall and floorboards, frametimbers, bunks, fixtures,
dividers, bedding, and peoplewere all added to the growing
(10:10):
pile of destruction being shovedahead of the train.
Some people were lucky enough tobe tossed aside and away from
the rolling devastation.
After pushing its way completelythrough the rearmost sleeper,
the engine impacted sleepernumber 16, treating it the same
way and immediately adding itand its occupants to the pile
(10:31):
being pushed by the engine'snose.
Still it continued on, smashingits way completely through the
next car, Sleeper 15, and mostof the way through Sleeper 17,
before finally grinding to ahalt.
The sound of the collision hadbeen tremendous, described by
nearby residents as similar toan explosion.
The screeching of metal, thesplintering of wood, and the
(10:53):
screams of the wounded piercedthe morning air.
Those in the forward cars of thecircus train who survived the
initial impact were thrown fromtheir berths, jolted awake into
a nightmare.
But the horror was onlybeginning for the survivors,
desperately trying to freethemselves from the wreckage.
The collision ruptured gas linesand overturned kerosene lamps
(11:15):
that were used to light most ofthe train cars.
Within moments, flames eruptedfrom the wreckage.
The wooden cars, old and dry,caught fire immediately.
The fire spread quickly, fed bythe wood, cloth, and other
flammable materials that filledthe train.
Survivors trapped in thewreckage found themselves facing
a horrific choice (11:34):
remain trapped and burned, or attempt
to escape through the twistedmetal and splintered wood,
possibly at the cost of severeinjury.
Many of those in the rear carsnever had that chance.
They were either killed by theinitial impact or trapped so
thoroughly in the wreckage thatescape was impossible before the
(11:56):
flames consumed them.
The fire was burning hot enoughto start melting metal bits of
the train.
The screams of those trapped inthe flames could be heard by
rescuers who were helpless toreach them.
Those who could escape did so byany means possible.
Some crawled through shatteredwindows, cutting themselves on
broken glass.
Others clawed their way throughgaps in the wreckage, squeezing
(12:19):
through impossibly small spaces.
Performers who had spent theirlives developing flexibility and
strength now used every bit oftheir training to escape the
death trap that had been theirhome.
Survivors emerged from thewreckage in various states of
injury and undress, many of themin their pajamas or less.
Some were burnt, others hadbroken bones or severe
(12:42):
lacerations.
The scene was chaotic andhellish, illuminated by the
orange glow of the flames.
Those who managed to escapeimmediately turned to try to
help others, but the fire wastoo intense.
They could only watch in horroras the flames burnt their
friends, their families, andtheir colleagues.
The engineer of the circus trainand some of the crew from the
(13:04):
forward cars which had escapedthe worst of the impact of fire
rushed back to help.
Local residents, awakened by thesound of the collision, hurried
to the scene, but there waslittle they could do.
The fire department from nearbyHammond was called, but it would
be nearly 30 minutes after thecollision before they could
arrive.
By then the fire had taken agrip on the wreckage and there
(13:26):
was little they could do to stopit.
It would be another 30 minutesbefore a rescue train could be
brought in and its hoses broughtto bear on the fire before they
could start getting it put out.
By the end, the rear section ofthe circus train was a smoking
(13:48):
ruin.
Four cars had been completelydestroyed, reduced to twisted
metal frames and piles of ash.
Bodies lay scattered around thewreckage, some burned beyond
recognition, others clearlyshowing the terrible injuries
they had sustained.
Rescue workers and volunteersorganized themselves as best
(14:08):
they could.
The injured were carried awayfrom the wreckage and laid out
on the grass beside the tracks,where doctors and nurses who had
rushed to the scene begantreating them as best they
could.
The most severely injured weretransported to hospitals in
Hammond and nearby Gary.
It would take days following theaccident to clear the wreckage.
(14:28):
Special teams were called in toremove the broken train cars as
teams searched the debris forbodies.
The task of recovering andidentifying the dead was grim
and difficult.
Many of them were burned sobadly that identification was
impossible using the methodsavailable in 1918.
Some victims were identified byjewelry, dental work, or by
(14:51):
physical characteristics thathad managed to survive the
flames.
Over a dozen would never beidentified at all.
The circus community began theheartbreaking process of
determining who had survived andwho had died.
Names were called out, and theresponses or lack thereof told
the story.
Entire acts had been wiped out,families had been destroyed, the
(15:14):
close-knit community hadsuffered a blow from which it
would never fully recover.
In the days following thedisaster, investigators began
the process of determining whathad happened and who was
responsible.
The physical evidence painted aclear picture.
The signal system had beenfunctioning properly, the
warning signals had beendisplayed, the circus train had
(15:37):
been stationary on the tracks,properly positioned, and showing
its rear lights as required.
So the investigation turned itsattention to Engineer Alonzo
Sargent.
He had managed to survive thecollision with only minor
injuries, and his testimonywould be absolutely crucial.
However, Sergeant claimed tohave no memory of the events
(16:00):
leading up to the crash, whichis pretty fucking convenient.
He maintained that he had beenfollowing proper procedures and
had no explanation for why histrain had failed to stop or slow
down despite the warningsignals.
Probably because he was fuckingsleeping.
Witnesses who had seen the trooptrain in the moments before the
(16:20):
collision testified that itshowed no signs of slowing.
The train's brakes had not beenapplied until the moment of
impact, far too late to preventthe collision.
The physical evidence at thescene supported the theory that
Sgt.
Until the moment of impactjolted him awake.
(16:42):
The investigation also looked atthe broader context of the
accident.
The railroad industry in 1918was under tremendous strain due
to the war.
Many experienced workers hadbeen drafted, and those who
remained often worked excessivehours.
Safety standards had beenallowed to slip in the rush to
keep trains moving.
The use of wooden passengercars, which were known to be
(17:05):
fire hazards, continued despitethe availability of safer steel
cars.
They just happened to be moreexpensive.
And you know, why spend money onsafety?
Sargent would be arrested andcharged with manslaughter.
His trial became a focus ofnational attention with the
circus community and the generalpublic demanding justice for the
(17:25):
victims.
His trial began in September,just three months after the
crash.
The prosecution had a prettystraightforward case.
(17:47):
The evidence was overwhelming.
However, Sergeant's defenseattorneys argued that their
client had suffered from atemporary physical ailment that
had caused him to loseconsciousness, not mere sleep,
but an actual medical emergencythat he could not have
prevented.
They brought in medical expertswho testified about various
(18:10):
conditions that could causesudden unconsciousness.
The defense also highlighted thedifficult working conditions
faced by railroad engineersduring the war years.
Sgt.
So, basically, it was all thesystems' fault who was as much
(18:33):
to blame as any individual, butmostly it was the system's.
Survivors testified about thehorror of the crash and fire.
The families of victims demandedjustice.
But the legal standard formanslaughter required proving
that Sgt.
And the defense had introducedenough doubt about whether he
(18:56):
had willfully ignored his dutiesor had suffered an unforeseeable
medical emergency.
In the end, the jury foundSergeant not guilty, which was a
bit controversial and sparkedoutrage among many of the circus
folk and the general public atlarge.
Critics argued that the railroadindustry had protected one of
(19:18):
its own at the expense ofjustice for the victims.
Supporters of the verdictmaintained that the prosecution
had failed to prove its casebeyond a reasonable doubt.
Regardless of the verdict, Sgt.
He would never work again as anengineer and he would have to
live with this ship for the restof his life.
(19:39):
And some of the accounts of hislife afterwards say he died poor
and alone, shunned by everyoneand living in misery at the
memory of what had happened.
Many of the victims of the crashhad no families to claim them,
no money for funerals, and noplace to be buried.
The unidentified victims facedthe prospect of being buried in
(20:01):
unmarked puppers' graves.
The Showman's League of America,a fraternal organization of
circus and entertainmentprofessionals, stepped in to
ensure that the victims receiveda dignified burial.
They purchased a large plot inWoodlawn Cemetery in Forest
Park, Illinois, a suburb justoutside of Chicago.
(20:21):
This plot became known asShowman's Rust.
On June 26th, just four daysafter the disaster, a mass
funeral was held for thevictims.
Thousands of people were inattendance, including circus
performers from shows across thecountry who had interrupted
(20:43):
their tours to pay theirrespects.
The funeral procession stretchedfor blocks, and the grief and
mourning was immense.
At Showman's Rest, the victimswere buried together.
Some graves bore names, whileothers were marked simply as
unknown male or unknown female.
The Showman's League erectedmonuments to commemorate the
(21:04):
dead.
Five large stone elephants,heads bowed in mourning, were
placed at the site.
The elephants remain there tothis day, standing eternal vigil
over the graves.
Showman's Rest would becomesacred ground for the circus
community.
Every year, circus performersand enthusiasts gather at the
site to remember the victims andcelebrate the culture and
(21:26):
community that the circusrepresented.
This disaster would have lastingeffects on the circus industry.
Its immediate impact waspractical.
The show had lost a significantportion of its workforce and
many of its performers.
However, in the tradition of thecircus, the show must go on.
So, they borrowed performersfrom other circuses, hired new
(21:49):
workers, and resumed touringwithin weeks of the crash.
But despite this, the emotionaland psychological toll was
immense.
The circus community was smalland tightly knit, and everyone
knew someone who had died orbeen injured in the accident.
The tragedy cast a shadow overthe entire crowd.
Many performers became moreaware of the dangers of their
(22:12):
lifestyle and left the circusfor safer occupations.
And the Hagenbeck Wallace Circuswould never fully recover.
While it continued to run andeven enjoy some success in the
early 20s, the show had lostmuch of what had made it
special.
Many of its best performers andworkers had died in the crash,
(22:32):
so it was eventually purchasedby the Wringling Brothers in
1929 and would continue to rununtil 1938 when it finally
ended.
The crash would also make animpact for railroad safety.
Yet, as always, rail reform wasslow.
The accident showed the dangersof wooden passenger cars, which
(22:53):
they knew about for years.
When wooden cars caught fire,they became death traps.
Steel cars were available andmuch safer, but they were also
more expensive, and we all knowhow much companies just love to
spend money, especially on sillylittle things like safety.
It would be several more yearsbefore these shitty wooden cars
(23:15):
were completely phased out.
The accident also showed theproblem of engineer fatigue.
Railroad workers often workedexcessive hours and the danger
of fatigue-related accidentswere highly documented.
However, strong regulationslimiting work hours and ensuring
adequate rest periods were notin place.
(23:37):
It would take several moreaccidents and several more
deaths before real reform wouldhappen.
The signal system at Ivanhoe hadworked as designed, but the
accident showed that signalsalone were not good enough if
engineers chose to ignore themor miss them.
This led to discussions about amore robust safety system,
(23:59):
including automatic brakingsystems that would stop trains
regardless of engineer action.
Such systems were eventuallydeveloped and implemented, but
it would take several more yearsbefore they were widely set up.
And that was the Great CircusTrain Disaster of 1918.
(24:21):
Thanks for listening, and if youliked the show, please consider
leaving a rating or review onyour app of choice.
And you can reach out to theshow at historiesandisaster at
gmail.com with questions,comments, or suggestions.
As well as follow the show onsocial media, like Facebook,
Instagram, and a few others.
TikTok, YouTube, YouTube,whatever.
(24:45):
And share the episode.
Your friends will love it.
And take care of yourself outthere.
Chase that dream.
Live for today.
Because tomorrow is neverguaranteed.
Thanks and goodbye.
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