Somewhere along in this discussion I believe it was stated that handbrakes
were required to be set on ten cars but the engineer had set eleven before
leaving the parked train. Is that the true number of cars required to have
thier handbrakes set in such instances? I ask becasue a retired CPR mechanical
department friend quite familiar with the local and equipment in use on the
MM&A stated to me, IIRC, that there were supposed to be seventeen cars left
with their handbrakes set. Given the place the train was left and the weight of
the equipment involved I wonder if even seventeen wold have been enough.
What troubled me most about this entire incident was the attitude of the
robber baron Burkhardt. He was reported as blaming everything on the engineer
before he had any real knowledge of what had happened, let alone why. That is
what prompted my telephone call to him that same morning. In all the years I
was involved in insuring railroads, and havoing been called out at all sorts of
hours when a derailment occurred, I have never experienced anyone attempting to
put the blame on any single individual or cause as Burkhardt did in this
instance. If the runors heard of his impending bankruptcy are correct it is
well deserved. Unfortunately the MM&A may be bankrupt but he will probably walk
away from this quite well off.
Cordially, Don Valentine
