On the tourist railroad in Eureka Springs AR, the conductor encouraged us to place coins on the track while the engine was going through the wye. Then he had us stand waaaaaaaaaaaay back. Only a couple of coins fell off the track. None of them squirted out. We all had a good time.
According to my quick look for an answer (Wikipedia…where else?), a Canadian penny is 94% steel, 1.5% Ni, and the rest is copper cladding.
I think the very heavy and large diameter of the rolling wheels, when they meet something as thin as a penny, will merely pinch it at first contact, thus capturing it, and the rest shouldn’t be more than the computing power of a 286 chip to figure out. [:-^]
Been there, done that, about 1998 so it must be an on going thing. Sometimes the penny or coin will slide off the rail due to vibration caused by the approaching engine. A little scotch tape will take care of that.
Sounds like you’ve thought about this a little too much. I might just have to see what a pair of Arrow III’s would do to a penny though. (Of course in a sneaky way so those Jersey Transit Cops don’t come after me)[:P]
You’d also think about it if the first time you put a coin on a rail it bounced off. I guess it wouldn’t be much of a problelm if another train was due in an hour or so. But if you knew there were no more trains for the day and it would be months before you would be back along the railroad, you might be scarred for life, too. [:(]
I’ve actually got a project I’m working on for my apartment. I’ve got tons of coins I’ve put on rails over the years. Most of them are from hanging out with my Grandfather whom I learned the practice from.
I’m using a small punch to put a hole in the end of each coin and then I’m making wind chimes with them. Most of the money I’ve got thats flattened was Canadian in origin, and one of the coolest coins to flatten is the Canadian Two Dollar coin or Two-ny. It’s size and differing metals make it really interesting. I’ve actually got one that I got flattened by a steamer and I had to peel it from the rail, which it kept the shape of afterwards.
Cheers!
~METRO
Ever try making a $.26 piece or an $.11 piece? We used to sit in the station and try to come up with bizarre combinations. Then we’d stack coins on the rails and see if we could get them to stick together.
The penny thing is amusing when you do it just to see what happens to it. Then good luck finding it if it gets knocked off. If you don’t put it on right it might not even get flattened all the way, after all only part of the wheel is actually on the rail. We put a coin on the tracks for fun outside Allentown Yard once. An engine doing switching came up and sat on it for a while. No extra squishing though.
Let’s review, shall we?
Cost of chocks to steam locomotive: $0.20 USD
Cost of US penny: More than it’s worth.
Cost of trespassing charges: Depends on the judge.
Entertainment value of squashing coins: Priceless!
I put one on a rail joint - you can still see part of the Memorial on the reverse side of the coin.
Naw!! I can’t believe that! I sent it on to Mythbusters! Mind if I use you as a reference?
(Bold emphasis mine)
I proved that last night in HO scale with a dime. Ohh…the humanity! I had to take it off of the switch where it originally was as it was shorting the DCC out.
For the record, when the following mix with a train:
A coin will absolutely not derail a train, unless is is “O” gauge or smaller.
(Bold emphasis mine)
I proved that last night in HO scale with a dime. Ohh…the humanity! I had to take it off of the switch where it originally was as it was shorting the DCC out.
It’s clearly another example of railroads pouring money into expanding capacity, with lamentable results. How do explain THIS to your stockholders?
Sure! I’ll even put them on the guy who told me…
It may not work for something like a Shay, which is analagous to a Diesel with regard to its trucks and available torque, but a high wheeled rod engine, quite possibly. They were regularly chocked with a chain.
Actually, a small object on the rail could stop a small wheel from rolling more easily than a big wheel.
Explain to stock holders? Easy…if they complain too loudly then put them back in their Woodland Scenics package until they be quiet.
Here is a link to a derailment caused by coins on the track, and the investigation that followed…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC8VzVmNPOI
Eight dimes can stop a 240 ton locomotive? Oh we’re going to have to try that this spring. Is there any technique to make it work, or just shove a dime up to each of the drivers?
That video was hilarious, and I imagine very disturbing for the model railroader.[:(]
There should be a warning on it not to watch before bedtime, may cause nightmares[:D]
I suspect the coin(s) need to be right up against the wheel(s). Otherwise momentum would carry the wheel(s) right over the coin. The way it was explained to me, the wheels are meant to go forward, not up. One person can move a free-rolling car along the track, but I doubt they can lift it the height of a dime…