Trains are safe but they need better fencing around them to avoid public interaction. Such as electric closing gates at pedestrian crossing. If that doesn t cut it make trains safer by adding more nuts and bolts for the train tires and maybe a more sophisticated train hitch which goes inward in a slot that is magnetized as well as extra connectors or something to keep the cars together and make it law for every five cars that there should be built in brakes so a train can be stopped quicker. That’s my best suggestion for the real world train people !
Before you suggest any more “ideas” you might want to spend a little more time finding out how things actually work.
Most pedestrians aren’t hit at crossings, it people walking down the tracks.
Trains don’t have “tires”. The wheels are a one piece steel casting, no nuts and bolts required (nuts and bolts are less safe since they can come loose and require holes which can lead to cracking).
Have no earthly idea what you are talking about with regard to the couplings.
Every single car already has 2 brakes on it, an automatic air brake and a hand operated brake.
I don’t care who you are, that’s funny. And after that we’ll build ships filled with styrofoam so they can’t sink, planes that will stay in the air regardless of airspeed and cars capable of determining if the driver is an idiot and refusing to start if that’s the case. Andre
IdeaExpress2013,
Are you ‘real’ or just out to make wild remarks?
- Pedestrian Gates - Most ‘pedestrians’ are hit because they are walking down the tracks(trespassing).
- Train Tires - There are no ‘rubber tires’ in trains They have steel wheels pressed onto steel axles(at least in the US).
- Train Hitches - They are called ‘couplers’ and interlock. Cars hauling dangerous/explosive materials are required to have ‘shelf’ coupler to prevent vertical escape of the couplers in the case of a derailment. Magnetizing will not hold 10,000 tons of train together…
- Brakes - Every freight car has built-in brakes.already. There is even an emergency air reservoir on each car in case the service reservoir is damaged/depleted. A ‘break-in-two’ of the train will result in an emergency application of the air brakes. Due to the very low coefficient of friction of steel wheels on steel rail, stopping distance will be long. A 10,000 ton/5,000’ train may take up to 5,000’ to stop from 60 mph, but compared to a 1 ton/15’ auto takinging 250-400’ to stop - that is really pretty good.
I think maybe you need to step out into the ‘real world’ and breathe deeply…
Jim
Although I do agree about safety around RR’s, this is a Model Railroader forum. When I first read the title, I thought you were concerned about burns from a soldering iron, or razor knife cuts. Also, I agree with the others who replied, you don’t understand railroading very well, especially if you think a train has tires.
-Stan
Let us just end this one. Study railroading before making comments and concerns that you stated! Doug
We could always suspend the planes from the clouds with clear fishing line to keep them airborne [:-^]…
Now the “idiot” thing for cars…we could use that in real life [I]!
In all sincerity, I am all for safety, but you have to be realistic. For example, fencing off every mile of track that crisscrosses North America is impossible and impractical (not to mention EXPENSIVE). Railway crossings are safe…it’s generally the drivers and pedestrians who lack common sense and good judgement who fowl up the works (and sadly we can’t do anything to fix the ever growing population who lacks common sense and good judgement [|(]). As a previous poster mentioned, the last few people hit by trains in my area were walking on the tracks with earphones in their ears (see previous statement about “common sense” and “good judgement”). Bottom line, railways are safer now then they have ever been, and the industry continues to strive to do even better. But everything in life involves risk. You can mandate safety all you want…but you can’t fix human nature (or…to be blunt…human stupidity [D)]).
Happy modeling everyone!
Don.
Come on, guys. Don’t feed the troll.
Guys,The OP has no real clues about railroads or how they operate.No clue that drivers ignore the current warning systems and that hikers,joggers etc thinks its cool to take a short cut on the tracks…
No amount of railroad safety will stop these Darwin award candidates.
Reminds me of “Angels On The Track” people that blames the railroad for every accident…
Yeah, I was only tempted for about a ½ Second to take a photo of a model Shay with a Neodymium magnet on the coupler…
Not doing that.
Maybe the poster will have a future in Physics, & make a better Mag Lev in a few years, by thinking out of the box.
True, let’s save this one for next April 1.[;)]
Looks like someone got online who shouldn’t have at the mental health facility. [D)]
I get the feeling that the original poster may be a tad underage?
Paul A. Cutler III
They need to get a life sounds like the Greenpeace people.