Abstract
This study investigated whether there is a possibility that a catastrophic accident alters determinants of users' trust in risk managers in railways. A questionnaire survey of 2,060 railway users was conducted online via the Internet. Participants in the survey were divided into two groups, with only one group being asked to assume the occurrence of a catastrophic accident, and the data from two groups were compared. A model assumed that perceived value similarity, fairness and ability determine trust, and then path coefficients were compared by structural equation modeling. The results showed that the most important factors in determining trust differ between the situations before and after the catastrophic accident. Practical implications of the results are discussed.
