"Driving rod broke," explained the conductor. "It threshed around like a flail, and smashed the cab, on the fireman's side of the engine. Luckily he was putting on coal, or he'd been killed. Then the engineer threw on the emergency brake, and the front end of the baggage car crumpled up. Luckily it's no worse. Has any one heard of any persons being hurt?" the conductor asked the crowd.