Actually, that's one of the reasons why Camelbacks were eventually outlawed. Having a siderod break wasn't uncommon. In a normal steam engine, that would cause some damage but, in a Camelback, it could, and often was, deadly to the crew. I have a great uncle who lost an arm working for the CNJ as a fireman when just this tyoe of accident happened. I don't know how, but they managed to save his life and he lived to the ripe old age of 91, all the while drawing his $61 a month accident pension.