Sideshow 7: Collision Course

The French, Spanish, and the Americans believed that heading west was a divine calling. This is the story of when beliefs cross the line into territory more dangerous than the land itself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

The Gold Rush became a beacon of hope for many. They headed West to seek their fortunes. But Americans weren’t the only ones looking for a better life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

We didn’t become fascinated with the Wild West until Hollywood gave us gunfights at high noon and heroic outlaws. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by HowStuffWorks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartp ... Show More

When journalist Danelle Morton’s daughter skips town to hop trains, Morton follows her into the train yard, and across America. In City of the Rails, the listener shadows Morton as she travels the country trying to understand what drew her daughter to this life. Her guides are th ... Show More

Danelle goes where every hobo winds up at some point. Engineers and conductors show her around the train yard, how it works and why it’s so deadly. Danelle learns how railroads shaped our country, giving us times zones, for a start. The world of the train yard is so frightening, ... Show More

Between 1854 and 1929, 250,000 orphans - at peril in the dangerous, overcrowded streets of New York - were placed on trains and sent west to live with new families. A desperate solution to a desperate problem, some of the stories turned out well and some far from well. The bond b ... Show More

We’re coming up on the 100th anniversary of one of the worst train wrecks in United States history. More than 100 people died. And even though it’s usually noted as the worst train wreck in American history, it was kind of a run-of-the-mill accident for the time.  Learn more abou ... Show More

What is it about model trains that so captivates people, young and old alike? How did they start as an icon of innovation, and then become such a treasured piece of nostalgia over time? In today's episode, the gang explores the history of model trains from centuries past to the m ... Show More

Road trains are massive truck and trailer combinations that can stretch to unbelievable lengths. But do you know where you're most likely to see a road train in action? And what makes a body-and-six so special? Join Scott and Ben as they investigate. Learn more about your ad-choi ... Show More

The Trans-Siberian railway is the longest train line in the world, spanning 5700 miles, seven time zones, and straddling two continents.Though today’s passengers on the week-long journey can enjoy relative luxury, the route has a dark past. Who were the labourers who built it, en ... Show More

Trains. It was an outrageous caper to end all capers: stealing millions from a train (and maybe a little of the train, too). What could go wrong? Well, a lot. But a fair bit also went right. Trains. And thanks to all that, we have a dope television theme song. Makes sense, don't ... Show More

Nowadays, most people use the term 'trainwreck' to describe a situation gone catastrophically wrong, but back in the glory days of the railroad, trainwrecks -- actual trainwrecks -- became PR stunts and spectator sports. Tune in to learn more about of the Crash at Crush. Learn mo ... Show More