The artist depicts the moment of impact when all the cars are crumbled in a head-on collision. T he railroad didn't always receive good press for their efforts. This article appeared in Harper's Weekly and it contained the thoughts of many people who were still terrified by the iron horse. The railroads are insatiable. Boilers burst themselves.
Rails break themselves.
And it may be questioned whether the consequent slaughter of men, women and children is not really suicide. This technology also had the capacity to very easily be improved upon. Once the basic innovations were created and mastered in the motive power, tracks and cars, it was quite clear that the railroad had the potential to transform industry and transportation in regard to economic growth. At that time, the railroad had gone from being a novelty, to being one of the fundamental structures of the economy.