Confessions of a Railroad Signalman

A veteran railroad signalman presents candid first-person essays on operational safety, describing common accident types and their human and mechanical causes. He surveys the roles of signalmen, enginemen, telegraph operators, and management, analyzes how system design, discipline, and workplace culture contribute to collisions and derailments, and critiques existing practices while urging reforms toward clearer responsibility, better training, and stronger safety systems. Interspersed with illustrative accident vignettes and photographs, the work balances technical explanation with reflections on loyalty, fairness, and the human element in railway operation.