I know this discussion began 9 years ago but I just now discovered it...my bad, I was doing my own online research into the North Coast Limited wreck. Interesting bit of insider information, that the NP routinely threw crew members under the bus in order to deflect blame for wrecks caused by poor decisions by management. And it's amazing that they were somehow able to sweep this under the rug and avoid ICC investigations, even when fatalities, serious injuries, and major property damage occurred. When rolling stock is scattered all over the landscape and people are dead, it's kinda hard for the authorities to ignore. Money under the table? Political campaign contributions to influential congressmen? Another example is the "Rose Bowl wreck" of December 1960 in Sumner, Washington. No official record of that wreck seems to exist. I knew about it only from my own memory (I was a 12-year-old railfan at the time) and a very interesting account of the wreck in the Summer 2000 issue of the "Mainstreeter". And I suspect that the NP wasn't alone in covering up their misadventures. It may have been common practice throughout the industry. Investigation of transportation accidents in those pre-NTSB days was spotty at best.