Lady hit by 844 Union Pacific Heritage Train

[CMNTMXR57]

That's one big fucking engine. Why anyone would want to stand near it while it went by at 60 mph is crazy.

Just to put some numbers behind that, here are the weights (both locomotive and tender) of these things;

UP 844 that was involved in the accident: 912,250 lbs or 456.1 tons
UP Challenger I posted: 1,073,900 lbs or 537 tons
UP Big Boy (the biggest steamer made): 1,250,000 lbs or 625 tons

THen to put it into comparison with today's modern diesel electric, like the GEVO's, they weigh around 430,000 pounds...

So, you're gonna NOT feel it when that steamer hits you.

 

[Stink Star]

For a normal train in "pull" mode (like this video and that Metra video on the BNSF line), where the locomotive is at the front, I agree 110%.

But in the case of Metra "scoots", if they're going into the city, they're in "push" mode, where the locomotive is at the back, and the engineer is up in a command car and there is very little noise outside of the normal background "white" noise" to sway morons with headphones on, or a phone in their ear, from realizing it.

I’m not even talking about the noise though. Trains run on tracks... before you cross tracks look left and right then proceed if it’s clear. Literally all the effort it takes. Don’t stand right on the tracks if you don’t want to get hit by a train

 

[CMNTMXR57]

People don't though. They're sooo wrapped up in their "world", noses stuck in their stupidphones.

I can't count how many times my morning train got delayed because some numbnut was a space cadet and got hit.

 

[Shadow99]

Its kind of odd in the train community, like online with FB. People that post other people on tracks and dont get hurt, bitch and riot about how they shouldnt be doing anything on the tracks. Its dangerous, trespassing wadda wadda. But when a person gets hit, they are all ooooh RIP sending prayers. If you look at the youtube comments for the op post, someone is like oh you should take this down out of respect for that family. Then others say no keep it up to show how being a dumbass near tracks gets you killed. Very confusing community.

 

[Stink Star]

But if you use 1 ounce of common sense, walking on or near train tracks is pretty damn safe.

 

[nytebyte]

I think another reason people get hit is they don't realize just how fast those trains are going. If you look at a train directly coming at you at 60 mph, it doesn't look like it's going that fast at first, until it's almost on top of you. I think it's called a "size-speed perception issue".

 

[Lead Pipe]

Damn, those are brutal...and entirely preventable.

My father-in-law got run over by a train when he was a teenager. Him and his friends were screwing around with a slower moving train. He fell under a wheel and luckily only lost a leg.

That must have been what kids did back in the day because my Dad had the exact same thing happen to him except he lost his right arm.

 

[DEEZUZ]

My Gramps used to Grease the tracks at the train stop with lard and watch the train slide 100s of feet passed the station LMAO

 

[nytebyte]

My Gramps used to Grease the tracks at the train stop with lard and watch the train slide 100s of feet passed the station LMAO

LOL!

I'm gonna try this at my Metra station. The engineer usually comes in way too hot, so it should be a show.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

It might not work as effectively on these newer machines as it did on old locomotives. trains were one of the first vehicles to pioneer ABS braking systems and much of that trickled down to automobiles. Not sure if the F40's were retrofitted with them, but pretty sure the MP36H's have them.

Second, and you'll hear this as he comes screeching to a halt, most locomotive's use dynamic braking in heavier need applications. Basically it's like you changing the direction of your ceiling fan. They essentially put the traction motors in reverse to fight the forward momentum. You can tell this if you hear a cooling fan system kick on for a minute or two as the train comes to a stop and then will shut off shortly after, that is a sign he (the engineer) was using them.

 

[DEEZUZ]

fuck do you know alot of useless shit

 

[Chester Copperpot]

Traction motor is just a cool sounding descriptor. WELCOME TO THE FUTURE BITCHES

 

[CMNTMXR57]

fuck do you know alot of useless shit

My Wife says the same thing.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

You guys want to go all hybrid and shit. Put one of these in your Prius...

A traction motor;

There are 2 - 3 of these per "truck" in a locomotive. So 4 - 6 in total per locomotive.

Some of the newer locomotives, like the GEVO's and the "H" motor EMD SD90's, with the ~6,200hp diesel's, and six of these, could create well over 200,000 pounds of drawbar force with only ~15% adhesion rate. Increase that adhesion rate with more weight or more sand, and that goes up. I seem to recall some of the SD90's around 230,000 pounds of drawbar force. It was getting to a point where they were so strong, they were breaking the train car coupler's.

 

[DEEZUZ]

Jesus fuck

 

[Stink Star]

 

[DanJ]

That must have been what kids did back in the day because my Dad had the exact same thing happen to him except he lost his right arm.

My grandpa and his friends laid between the tracks and let the train go over them.

You guys want to go all hybrid and shit. Put one of these in your Prius...

A traction motor;

There are 2 - 3 of these per "truck" in a locomotive. So 4 - 6 in total per locomotive.

Some of the newer locomotives, like the GEVO's and the "H" motor EMD SD90's, with the ~6,200hp diesel's, and six of these, could create well over 200,000 pounds of drawbar force with only ~15% adhesion rate. Increase that adhesion rate with more weight or more sand, and that goes up. I seem to recall some of the SD90's around 230,000 pounds of drawbar force. It was getting to a point where they were so strong, they were breaking the train car coupler's.

Im pretty sure the newer ones are programmed to not go balls to the wall even if you throw the throttle straight to 8. You can put it in full throttle and watch the tractive effort gradually increase, and based on the speed it decides how much it wants to give anyways. I had an SD40-2 from the 70’s the other day and that thing would rip it in half if you let it.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Oh, I imagine some form of TM is heavily applied.

 

[Shadow99]

Does anyone else take a step or 2 back at the metra stations when a train comes by? For instance at the elmhurst metra, freights come flying through. Even sitting on the bench on the platform you get that gush of wind and energy. So how this lady stood next to the tracks with this behemoth coming is just out of this world mind blow.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

I do, but...

Mythbusters did a mythbust on this effect.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Episode 66 "concrete glider" from 2006 has this. They call it "busted" but I still think that a real person (not Buster or other human dummy), that can correct themselves in the pressure vortex, could make it plausible.

Although small-scale testing with model trains in a wind tunnel showed a vortex, the more dominant force when running the full size train was the air turbulence running alongside and away from the train. The force caused Ted, a dummy made of ballistics gel, to simply fall down where he stood rather than be drawn into the train's wake, and also violently pushed around an empty stroller tethered onto the platform alongside. Despite the lack of suction, the MythBusters agreed that the turbulence was powerful enough in its own right to make standing that close to the train as it passes very dangerous.

 

[Shadow99]

I dont mean sucked under. Just air pushed at you in a burst of energy as it passes. Kind of just puts those "how it feels to chew 5 Gum" feels on your skin.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Yea, you feel it.

It's especially comforting on a cold January morning.