After decending approx. 3 mi. of nearly 1% the Engr. began to advance the throttle to maintain speed. As the slack began to stretch out the drawbar on the leading end of the 13th. car FELL out. This was caused by a missing drawbar key. As the drawbar hit the track, that car and the following 6 cars, pounded it through the ballast and into the frozen ground 'till nothing but the head was visible. The first 5 cars sustained substantial damage causing the doors to gap open and spill quite a bit of coal between the rails. Nothing derailed as a result. |