Autobiography Of James Oyer

Three train wrecks occurred in three different years: 1962, 1969, and 1994. There had been different train accidents that happened throughout the years, but what made these three train wrecks significant is a man named James E. Oyer. He was on duty as a brakeman and later as a conductor on those Erie-Lackawanna and Conrail trips.

Oyer relives his gut-wrenching story of the catastrophes as he and the rest of the crew tries to make it out alive. He also reveals the reason why it happened. Was there a mechanical failure? Was it just wrong decisions? Or was it simply negligence?

The three tragedies drastically changed his life. Oyer’s traumatic experiences led to his early retirement at age fifty-two, as he was too fearful to ever work on a train again. He was later diagnosed with paralyzing anxiety, which he overcame in 2005, and posttraumatic stress disorder, which he had to deal with for the rest of his life.