R. C. (Ralph Coffin) Richards

Ralph Coffin Richards, usually listed as R. C. Richards, was an American writer born in 1855 whose published work centers on railroad safety and operations. Library and public-domain records identify him as the author of Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention and several other practical works on freight handling and accident prevention.

His books suggest a close connection to the Chicago & North Western Railway. Surviving records list titles such as Address to the Agents and Employes of the Chicago & North Western Railway Company on the Proper Handling of Freight Traffic, Conservation of Men, Prevention of Accidents, and What the Safety Committees of the Chicago and North Western Railway Have Done for the Conservation of Men.

Today, Richards is chiefly remembered for Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention, a concise early-20th-century study of why railway accidents happen and how they might be reduced. The work reflects a practical, reform-minded approach, with attention to statistics, workplace responsibility, and safer systems rather than sensational storytelling.