Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention

In 1906, railroad travel was the great American enterprise, carrying millions while killing thousands. R.C. Richards wrote this analysis to sound an alarm: the toll from accidents was staggering, and most were preventable. Drawing on accident reports, statistical evidence, and case studies, he systematically examines what went wrong and why. The causes he identifies range from human error, fatigue, carelessness, miscommunication, to systemic failures: insufficient regulations, inadequate training, pressure to prioritize schedules over safety. Richards makes a compelling case that every accident, properly investigated, reveals a weakness that can be corrected. His argument is both practical and moral: railroad companies, their employees, and governing bodies all share responsibility for protecting human life. For modern readers, this book is a window into an era when travel was genuinely perilous and safety was hard-won. It resonates with anyone interested in the history of industrial safety, transportation, or the ongoing effort to make dangerous systems less deadly.