The Angola Horror: The 1867 Train Wreck That Shocked the Nation and Transformed American Railroads
"Vogel's work is gracefully written, and the notes and bibliography reveal a staggering amount of research into contemporary newspapers and other primary sources. This is social history; the author imaginatively reconstructs the lives and experiences of those traveling on theExpressthat day, as well as the men and women of Angola, New York, who rose to the occasion when disaster struck. . . . The overall result . . . is a vivid depiction of antebellum life and travel."—March Aldrich,Railroad History"Surprise is hard to achieve when a historian sets out to tell a story with an outcome long established, butThe Angola Horrorreads like a classic thriller. . . Vogel makes good use of suspense to build tension, mood and character reconstruction to play on reader emotions, and a heightened expectation of terror to come. . . Readers ofThe Angola Horrorwill find a compelling human drama that should be studied and enjoyed by anyone looking to understand this moment in New York history."—Larry Grant, The Citadel,New York History(2014)"On December 18, 1867, the New York Express train from Cleveland to Buffalo derailed in frigid temperatures at Angola, NY, resulting in horrific injuries and heavy loss of life. Charity Vogel has written an exhaustive history of the accident. . . . Her narrative tracing the train's route builds suspense with every mile and station until the train meets its doom. . . . Verdict: This is history writing at its best, as Vogel immerses her readers in the event's 1867 context. Highly recommended."—Library Journal(1 July 2013) – STARRED REVIEW"The Angola Horroris an astonishing, indeed terrifying, story told with insight, compassion, and suspense. Charity Vogel achieves the near impossible, capturing the individuality of those caught up in the tragedy while simultaneously creating an expansive, compelling portrait of post–Civil War America."—Lauren Belfer, author ofCity of LightandA Fierce Radiance"It was truly difficult to putThe Angola Horrordown. Both general and academic readers will find the individual stories of passengers, workers, and rescuers engaging. There is much to admire in the detective work involved in piecing together these narratives. The overall account of the journey leading up to the crash, the crash, and the rescue is well told."—Amy Richter, Clark University, author ofHome on the Rails: Women, the Railroad, and the Rise of Public Domesticity"The Angola Horroris a wonderfully and imaginatively researched and superbly written book. This horrific railroad accident was a dramatic event, and Charity Vogel captures the feel of mid-nineteenth-century train travel. She places events in a larger cultural and historical context, as when she ties the tragedy to how Victorian Americans viewed death and dying."—H. Roger Grant, Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Professor of History, Clemson University, author ofRailroads and the American People