A History of Railroad Accidents, Safety Precautions and Operating Practices

Fascinating history and analysis of railroad accidents and their causes. Written in an entertaining style, the book nonetheless is a serious appraisal of railroad safety over the years, the different kinds of accidents (boiler explosions, bridge collapses, signal failures, operator failure, broken rails, washouts, brake failure, sabotage, explosions and fires, collisions, etc.), the usual and unusual causes, the efforts to improve safety, the legal consequences, and railroad safety in perspective. The book also covers accidents on commuter rail, subways, interurbans and street railways. The list of wrecks in the Appendix is keyed to the pictures that appear in Robert C. Reed's book, "Train Wrecks." 473 pages.