3 Comments

1. I didn’t realize railroad ties flexed that much as a train passed over them.

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2. 1) John: yep, that’s one (of a bunch) reason why high speed trains can’t use existing tracks, they require much more precise and rigid rail placement for safety.

   What it reminded me of was that the Union Pacific, at many of its remote rural crossings, place a warning on the crossing guard that reads: “Warning: Trains go over this crossing at speeds in excess of 80 MPH. Whether you are on it or not”. Another common one is: “Remember: even if it’s a tie, YOU lose”.

   When a 15,000 ton train going 80+ MPH hits your 2 ton SUV, it doesn’t even notice. Train crews are no longer trained to stop when they hit a car at such crossings unless the car remains in front of the lead locomotive. All that’s left of the people in the car is hamburger, and there’s nothing the crew can do except vomit. These days (and for around 30 years) they just call it in to their dispatcher via radio with the crossing number, and the dispatchers call the appropriate police department.

   But most car/train collisions are actually the car running into the side of a train. Train roadbeds are built up higher than rural roads. So just before you reach the rails (like, maybe 10 feet), the road curves up. If you’re driving at night you might not see the train until your car pitches up just before the rails, and if you’re traveling at faster than walking speed: crunch. Hopefully, with the advent of super bright LEDs and solar power (combined with batteries), this problem can be addressed.

   Can you tell that, at one time, both of my parents worked for a railroad?

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3. It reminded me a little of that scene in 2001 – A Space Odyssey, where the astronaut gets sucked through hyper-space (or whatever that was near the end of the movie).

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