It all began with two 35-ton steam locomotives, a town that existed for just one day, and a railroad promoter with a grandiose idea. The end result became a Texas legend: The Crash at Crush.

W.G. Crush, the general passenger agent of the Missouri/Kansas/Texas Railroad (generally referred to as the Katy Railroad) proposed a publicity stunt featuring a huge crash of two steam trains. The goal—to build visibility for the railroad and in the short term to sell more tickets.