Train Wrecks: A Pictorial History of Accidents on the Main Line

by Robert Carroll Reed

American railroad history is filled with accounts of misadventure. Steam boilers blew up. Bridges collapsed under the weight of heavy engines. Locomotives crashed head-on because of signal failures. Passenger cars derailed, often with dire results. Lightly built wooden coaches splintered on impact, and the debris often ignited from the coals in the iron stoves used for heating. In the mid-nineteenth century American railroading was burgeoning--a growth too fast for safe operations. Despite the grim statistics of 19th and early 20th century train wrecks that resulted, one cannot help but find the photographs and public prints of the day interesting. When you pick up this wonderous book, you will have a hard time putting it down

Genres: History, Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Mark White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my binge of non-fiction favourites. Fascinating account of the times when to travel by train was taking your life in your hands. This book has stories, photos and engravings giving accounts of the many tragic train wrecks on American railways, mainly in the late 19th century. It is well researched, very clear and lists the causes and eventual cures of the major types of train wrecks. The photos and engravings are fascinating. Highly recommended for anyone interested in trains, historical travel, engineering or American history.

[Jeffrey Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Carroll Reed does a fabulous job in analyzing the history of railroad accidents from the 1830s to the 1970s. Each chapter has key facts and case studies and the book is loaded with photos. This is a good overview for anybody looking at railroad accidents throughout history.

[Kevin Postlewaite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing pictures fill this book, containing chapters of the various ways train wrecks occurred.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical survey has engravings and photographs of every type of old train wreck imaginable including boiler explosions, telescoping, bridge failures, head-on and rear-end collisions. The text has many bits and pieces of railroad history as well as some contemporary accounts of life on the tracks.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book from my grandfather's collection of books about trains. Although any tragedy is sad, these are also interesting.