News : Boomtown starts with pyrotechnic tribute to train wrecks

The audience watches as the 'train wreck' tribute begins at Boomtown Saturday night.

Raymand Garris of Washburn discusses the time and equipment that went into the 6-second display.

Two pyrotechnic 'trains' collided at a railroad crossing in the Boomtown display.

Six hundred pounds of coffee creamer, 25 pounds of black powder, 80 man hours of work and an incredibly complex motherboard and network of wires to build the show that began Boomtown 2011.

And it was over in just six seconds.

Raymond Garris of Washburn and his crew from Wildfire Fireworks Shows created a "train wreck" tribute using fireworks and fireballs as a tribute to "Head-On" Joe Connolly, who in his lifetime wrecked 146 trains for audiences of tens of thousands at the Iowa State Fair and other events in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The display in Vinton on Saturday evening was the second time that Garris and his crew have brought a fireworks-powered train wreck to Iowa. They built their first one in 2009, for the PGI (Pyrotechnics Guild International) Convention in Mason City. Several IPA members, including many from Vinton, saw that show in 2009; they were very happy to hear that Garris would be bringing it to Vinton.

Garris sat at his control table on Saturday evening, talking about the project as he waited for his turn. The giant fireballs used in the display result from using black powder to ignite coffee creamer.

Below is a video of the display:

[VIDEO]