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Modern railway carriage design is the result of long and often bitter experience. The wooden construction of railway passenger coaches in the nineteenth century can be blamed for the high casualty toll in many early rail accidents. The splintering of carriages and consequent spilling of passengers out onto the line was a feature of many "high-energy" accidents. Many died or were severely injured as a result. Through experience it became established that containing occupants within the vehicle in which they were travelling could considerably reduce the number of casualties. Advances in the design of passenger vehicles, particularly the use of steel to create a rigid, enclosed cabin made a major contribution to achieving this aim.

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