"Scalded To Death By the Steam" by Katie Letcher Lyle, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1983 titles it "The N&W Cannonball Wreck" and includes a story of the wreck and photographs at the scene. Also included is a history of the writing of the song by Cleburne C. Weeks in 1927, long after the wreck and after Mr. Meeks had heard the story from Billy Cousins who had been a flagman on the Cannonball. There is also a summary of an interview that Ms. Lyle and Paul Shue had with Mr. Meeks in 1982 and a picture of Cleburne Meeks and Paul Shue taken by Ms. Lyle, and a copy of a 1928 letter from Vernon Dahlhart to Mr. Meeks enclosing a contract for the song.
The book also contains stories, contemporary news accounts and   photographs of 25 other train wrecks with melody line, chords and lyrics of songsabout the disaster.

THE WRECK OF THE N & W CANNONBALL
(Cleburne C. Meeks)

The Cannonball was westbound on the Norfolk-Richmond Run,
The brave man at the throttle was Harry Covington.
His cheerful fireman on the left, was Robert Covington.
They did not know that this would be their last successful run.

There's nothing like railroading, Bob, when once you pull the mail
I mean to run this Cannonball the fastest ever sailed.
I mean to break the record for speeding up the line.
Make Petersburg at 6:15, and Richmond right on time.

She pulled right into Petersbur, running right on time.
Switched over on the ACL for Richmond on the line.
Brave Harry at the throttle of engine twenty-nine.
Sped right on into Richmond with the Cannonball on time.

Next morning the Cannonball left Richmond right on time
Brave Harry at the throttle of good old twenty-nine.
His cheerful fireman on the left, did shovel in more coal.
When Harry looked in the fire box door, his burning blaze did roll.

A freight train on the ACL at Dunlop on the line,
Was backed in on the siding for the Cannonball on time.
The brave crew on the Cannonball never knew the switch was wrong
And crashed into the freight train on the ACL that morn.

Poor Bob and Harry Covington died when the engine crashed
Threw Bob against the boiler head, as the tender body smashed,
Threw Harry from his seat box, by the boiler he did fall,
He died a daring engineer, running the Cannonball.