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rfpjohn, Thanks for that explanation.  You have also answered some questions I had about the independent brakes.  I can see your point about a fireman accidentally releasing the automatic brake, but the independent brake keeps holding long enough for everybody to leave and be unaware that they released the automatic brake.  But shortly the independent leaks down and releases, and lets the train loose.  Would it be accurate to say that shutting down the engine and losing the compressor would cause the independent brakes to release?  If so, would that release be due to air leaking from the pressurized cylinder circuit, and not being replenished by the compressor?   I would think that the event recorder is going to shed a lot of light on what happened with the releasing of the air brakes.  I would also think they would want to ask those 12 fire fighters and one MM&A man what they all did when they were at the fire event.  I thought I read somewhere that the cab had been left locked.  But that could have been mis-stated.  The possibility of a person accidentally releasing the brakes from the control stand has never been mentioned in all of the news reports.  They only refer to shutting down the idling engine as causing the release.
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