The Day of the Roses
Tony Cavanaugh Simone North
The film starts at an anniversary commemoration of the crash, where roses are dropped on the track to the aftermath of the wreck where first responders are arriving at the scene. Five months later the coroner, Tom Weir, brings in Boris Osman, an engineer to help him investigate the crash and immediately runs into stonewalling by the stateowned rail company, who dont want him to examine the train. Osman thinks its because the investigation will have to disclose why the tracks that caused the wreck were in such bad shape. Osman thinks it was caused by the politicians in office allowing the rail system to deteriorate. The coroner learns the bridge was hit twice before. Pressure begins to be brought on the coroner from above to stop asking to look at the train. Osman learns this is the third time this locomotive went off the rails. The coroner uses the threat of contempt of court to force the rail company to let Osman examine the locomotive. The inquest begins, with Orman recounting how the tragedy happened onJanuary 1977, alternating with the stories of some passengers who traveled on the illfated train, leading up to the depiction of the accident. Due to worn out track and worn out wheels on the locomotive, it jumps the rails and hits a bridge support, causing it to collapse on the train. The community springs into action to aid the survivors and recover the 83 dead. Several of the rescuers testify at the inquest and recount their actions on the day of the accident. Many rescuers risk their own lives to save the injured. Even when ordered to leave due to the danger of further collapse, many refuse to abandon injured survivors. Many of the rescuers are traumatized by what they saw. Ormond comes under attack for saying that it was the condition of the locomotives wheels that contributed to the accident, since while money has been allocated to repair the tracks, there is no money to also repair the locomotives. The families of the dead try to cope, while Gerry Bucht
Source: Wikipedia
