The Blue Mountains lie about 100 kilometres west of Sydney. Many people who live there travel by express train every day to work in the centre of Sydney. The early morning express train set out from Mount Victoria Station on time eat 6:09 am. As the driver, Ted Olencewicz, approached the bend before Granville station at about 8:12 am, he slowed the train a little, even though it was now running a few minutes late. He knew that section of the track had been unsteady lately.
There have always been disasters. Long before humans walked the earth, nature was creating havoc: floods, fires and earthquakes have all helped shape the planet. They continue to affect our lives. And since the invention of machines, we also face disasters of our own making. When things go wrong with planes, trains and ships, the devastation can be just as catastrophic. But 'Disaster!' is not just about catastrophe. It is also about the human spirit at its most powerful - those who survived lived though incredible situations and overcame the worst imaginable events.
