Braking in the curve could assist in getting the train to jump the tracks.
It would guarantee jumping the curve and breaking the train apart. He likely wanted to crash it on that curve.
Pray America is waking
I remember that from drivers ed. Braking hard when you are already in a curve is catapulting yourself.
“Braking in the curve could assist in getting the train to jump the tracks.”
Inertia is a bitch.