Атлант расправил плечи

           Hewaswithinsightofthewesternportal,whenheheardtheblastoftheexplosion,whichisthelastthingheremembers.TherestofthestorywasgatheredfromrailroademployeesatWinstonStation.ItappearsthatanArmyFreightSpecial,westbound,carryingaheavyloadofexplosives,hadbeengivennowarningaboutthepresenceoftheCometonthetrackjustahead.Bothtrainshadencountereddelaysandwererunningofftheirschedules.ItappearsthattheFreightSpecialhadbeenorderedtoproceedregardlessofsignals,becausethetunnel’ssignalsystemwasoutoforder.Itissaidthatinspiteofspeedregulationsandinviewofthefrequentbreakdownsoftheventilatingsystem,itwasthetacitcustomofallengineerstogofullspeedwhileinthetunnel.Itappears,asfarascanbeestablishedatpresent,thattheCometwasstalledjustbeyondthepointwherethetunnelmakesasharpcurve.Itisbelievedthateveryoneaboardwasdeadbythattime.ItisdoubtedthattheengineeroftheFreightSpecial,turningacurveateightymilesanhour,wouldhavebeenabletosee,intime,theobservationwindowoftheComet’slastcar,whichwasbrightlylightedwhenitleftWinstonStation.WhatisknownisthattheFreightSpecialcrashedintotherearoftheComet.TheexplosionoftheSpecial’scargobrokewindowsinafarmhousefivemilesawayandbroughtdownsuchaweightofrockuponthetunnelthatrescuepartieshavenotyetbeenabletocomewithinthreemilesofwhereeithertrainhadbeen.