Confessions of a Railroad Signalman

"Confessions of a Railroad Signalman" by James O. (James Octavius) Fagan is about exposing the perilous world of early 20th-century railroads through the eyes of a signalman. The book highlights the stark difference between the safety measures railroads had in place and the risky behaviors of the workers, which caused many preventable accidents. The story begins by shedding light on the alarming number of deaths and injuries suffered by railroad employees, prompting a closer look at why these tragedies continued to happen. The author shares his own experiences and observations as a railroad man, offering a sobering look at the daily dangers and the choices workers face. Ultimately, it's a call for railroad workers to shift their loyalty from simply protecting their jobs to prioritizing the safety of the public, which in turn pushes for greater responsibility and following the rules to prevent accidents.