I saw this on MSNBC today: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46021563/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/. It looks like those riding on top of the train may be in for quite a headache.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ZW0PTm9ME
THe linked video " Indian Trains" gives a graphic view of what they are up against in India and Indonesia where the population density is almost overwhelming.
This linked article on Indian Trains gives one unfamiliar with Indian Railway’s Operations a brief look into what they are dealing with in India:
FTL:“…The first passenger train in India ran in 1853. The rail system in India is the second largest in the world, with about 62,000km of track. There are over 7,000 stations and over 11 million people a day traveling by train. Indian Railways has over 1.6 million employees and is the world’s biggest employer…”
And in Indonesia:
Different cultures assign a different value to life and safety.
How about a strict policy of “Trains don’t move if people are on top”. If everyone is delayed because some people ride on top, soon the people that are inside will become intolerant of the people on top causing the delay.
Peer pressure works wonders!
While I sympathize with the “authorities” attempting to stop people riding on the roof, hanging anything above the rails is pointless. These trains have pantographs to pick up electricity from the catenary. Clearly whatever they use to intimidate riders cannot be in the zone that the pantographs must operate in. So as long as the riders stay within the pantograph profile, they clearly aren’t threatened by the hanging balls. Its really just a PR stunt by the operators.
Maybe they should have a continuously playing loop of the YouTube video of a Indian appearing individual that was confronted by the authorities, lost is balance and grabbed the overhead catenary wire - with obvious results (video was on YouTube a couple of years ago until they pulled it down because of its graphic nature).