▁this ▁when ▁Mr . ▁Elli ott ▁" ▁( the ▁chief ▁cl erk ) ▁" j ump ed ▁up ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁step , ▁and ▁said ▁Try ▁and ▁make ▁the ▁best ▁you ▁can ▁without ▁breaking ▁it ▁( mean ing ▁the ▁bra ke ▁handle ), ▁and ▁I ▁said ▁I ▁could ▁make ▁no ▁more . ▁He ▁then ▁said , ▁Oh , ▁my ▁God , ▁we ▁will ▁be ▁all ▁killed , ▁and ▁jump ed ▁off . ▁The ▁speed ▁then ▁gradually ▁increased , ▁until ▁it ▁became ▁so ▁fast ▁we ▁could ▁not ▁see ▁the ▁h ed ges ▁as ▁we ▁passed ." ▁ ▁The ▁train ▁crew ▁revers ed ▁the ▁front ▁portion ▁and ▁tried ▁to ▁catch ▁the ▁rear ▁portion ▁and ▁rec ou ple ▁it , ▁but ▁this ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁impossible . ▁ ▁Coll ision ▁ ▁The ▁line ▁was ▁operated ▁on ▁the ▁time ▁interval ▁system ▁( r ather ▁than ▁block ▁working ) ▁so ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁means ▁at ▁Arm agh ▁of ▁knowing ▁that ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁not ▁clear . ▁The ▁required ▁ 2 0 - min ute ▁interval ▁before ▁letting ▁a ▁fast ▁train ▁follow ▁a ▁slow ▁one ▁having ▁el apsed , ▁the ▁following ▁scheduled ▁passenger ▁train ▁had ▁left ▁Arm agh . ▁With ▁an ▁engine ▁of ▁similar ▁performance ▁but ▁a ▁much ▁l ighter ▁train ▁( six ▁vehicles ) ▁it ▁was ▁man aging ▁about ▁ ▁up ▁the ▁gradient ▁when ▁at ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁about ▁ ▁the ▁driver ▁of ▁the ▁ordinary ▁train ▁saw ▁the ▁approaching ▁run away ▁vehicles : ▁he ▁bra ked ▁his ▁train , ▁and ▁had ▁reduced ▁speed ▁to ▁ ▁at ▁the