For a brief window from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, people in the United States were watching train wrecks for fun. These staged spectacles would draw thousands and thousands of paying onlookers, but why exactly were they so popular?
Apr 2020
That Time Trainwrecks Became a Spectator Sport
<p>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 the Crash at Crush.</p> <p> ... Show More
33m 38s
Mar 2024
Back to the Choo-ture: the Enduring Nostalgia of Model Trains
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
54m 9s
Jul 2022
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Not too long ago, people would pay money to gawk and stare at a performer with a physical disformity. They were called freak shows and they began in large part thanks to P.T. Barnum, whose circus we still enjoy today. Sounds awful, but some of these performers became rich folks a ... Show More
48m 40s