Trigger Warnings: Train derailment and crash, people trapped (claustrophobia), bridge collapse, very brief mention of injuries, death of passengers

Episode: Bev (and a special guest host) takes us back to 1998 when Germany's Intercity Express trains were speeding down the tracks of success with luxurious amenities and a fantastic safety record. That was all thrown into question on June 3rd of that year when ICE 884 crashed catastrophically near the small town of Eschede. High speed trains were popular at the time, being used in several countries. So, while Germany investigated, the rest of the world waited anxiously to find out if we had put our lives in the hands of a technology that could get us killed.

Sources:

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://sma.nasa.gov/docs/default-source/safety-messages/safetymessage-2007-05-01-eschedetraindisaster.pdf?sfvrsn=afa91ef8_6

“Seconds from Disaster: The Eschede Train Derailment” on National Geographic’s YouTube Channel

“Engineers in court over rail crash that killed 101” by Hannah Cleaver, The Daily Telegraph, 8/29/2002, Retrieved 10/3/25

https://www.newspapers.com/image/753171150/?match=1&terms=eschede%20victims

“German Court Clears 3 in Deadly Train Crash” Associated Press, The Fresno Bee 5/9/03

https://www.newspapers.com/image/658311065/?match=1&terms=eschede%2C%20Court

MUSIC:

“No Regrets” by Flint

https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/no-regrets/115834