Looking from farther away at derailed cars strewn across a hillside, with workers and heavy equipment on the scene. At least one of the cars is still burning. The derailment happened late on Tuesday, October 17, 1978 on a remote stretch of tracks between Dawson Springs, KY and Princeton, KY. It caused 18 cars of a 64 car Illinois Central Gulf Railroad train to derail, including 2 carrying vinyl chloride which exploded and burned.