How dangeris is it to walk on the train tracks?

Question

How dangeris is it to walk on the train tracks?

Answer 1

extremely dangerous and probably dumb too

even if you are crossing the tracks you are risking your life!

too many people try to beat the train across and never make it..

when you see a train it may look like its going slow but it could

going 70 mph!  -and it takes at least a mile to stop a train

so the conductor can do the walk which they hate to do (find your remains that is)

in fact I made up a poem

it goes something like this

if you see a train remember to use your BRAIN around a train

if you try to Beat the train you will lose your brain and then it would

be a pain to REMOVE YOUR REMAINS FROM THE TRAIN.

so remember to Use your brain and not to try to Beat the train..

Answer 2

GET OFF WHEN A  TRAIN IS COMING DOWN THE TRACK. I'VE WALK  ON THE RAILS MANY TIMES. IT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR THE TRAIN, BUT I THINK THE ENGINEER WOULD BLOW  THE WHISTLE.

Answer 3

Besides the train plowing you over....the railroad ties can trip you up.  If you stub your toe on a tie and fall....it's not going to feel good, especially if you smack your head against the solid steel rail.  Walk on the side......you'll have better luck.

Answer 4

not dangerous at all

Answer 5

The answer to this question depends greatly on the tracks in question.  It can range from totally safe to totally unsafe, but when in doubt, you should err on the side of safety.

Some tracks are abandoned, others only have low-speed trains, and some have very fast trains, up to 120mph, and more commonly, up to 80mph.

Walking near a high-speed track is suicide.  Although you can usually hear the train coming, it approaches so quickly that if you so much as trip or stumble, the train could kill you.  You may think you have time to get away, but something can always go wrong--there have been numerous instances of people getting their feet caught or even their shoelace caught, and being hit by a train.

Another formula for getting hit is walking on the tracks when you are drunk.  Many train-related deaths also involve alcohol; often people will go out to a remote area, get drunk, and walk back along the tracks.  They may pass out on the tracks, or simply be too drunk to notice the train, or too drunk to get out of the way in time.

Walking on abandoned tracks is of course totally safe, but you want to make sure you know for sure the tracks are abandoned.  If you are not 100% sure, be very cautious.

If you have to walk along tracks, it's safest to walk along the side, instead of on the tracks themselves, so that you can be out of the way in case the train comes.  When you need to cross the tracks, make sure there is no train in sight and then cross quickly.

One last piece of advice--usually train tracks are on private property; it can be illegal to walk on them.  You can be cited by the police and even arrested for walking on them--and I've known people who have had this happen to them, so be careful about that.

Answer 6

Conductor Budgie is correct.  This very thing happened near Sacramento, in the '70s, just after the "Walkman" had hit the market.  A young girl was struck and killed, because she couldn't hear the train coming over the music.  In the ultimate tragedy, the girl's father happened to be the engineer of the train that killed her.

But people often overlook the fact that there are many other dangers associated with right of way.  There are discarded containers, resembling those you see at the hardware store containing caulking material.  These are used in some maintenance procedures and contain a very corrosive, caustic substance.  Touch it and you get a chemical burn.

Queen above points out that employes are prohibited from "stepping on top of the rail."  The reason is obvious.  There is grease, oil or other lubricants, fuel, the list of the slippery stuff goes on.  It gets on your shoe soles, you step on rail, you fall.  Painful enough, but if knocked unconscious when your head slams into the other rail, you don't move when the next train approaches, and that's all, folks.

But there is another danger associated with the rail itself.  It wears on the inside, and as it does often times near the bottom of the rail head, there thin, razor sharp "flashings" that, if bumped by your ankle, for example, will open you up like a can of sardines.

Not to mention there are oft times unsavory characters that can be bumped in to hanging around the tracks.

It was never designed to be used by pedestrians.  So, it's real simple.  Stay off the tracks, stay in one piece.

Answer 7

If there is no train coming, probably it would be okay.  I can think of one scenario why it would be dangerous......well, maybe several.  One is, you could fall and get your foot caught in one of rails and can't get it out and a train comes and runs over you.

Or, you could be a diabetic and pass out on the tracks and it could run over you.  Or, you could fall on the tracks, hit your head and be unconscious and the train could run over you............and so on.  (Debbie downer)

Answer 8

I am concerned as to why you are writing this. Alot of railway lines have overhead wires and third rails which provide electricity which you don't even need to touch for them to kill you. Even if the railway line doesn't have these, it is illegal. In general, trains travel at around 125 miles per hour and it takes them a good mile or more to come to a full stop. Imagine walking across the tracks and a train sweeps round the corner at full speed. You have no chance of survival. You think it's cool to hang round railways like this? Think again. Have some common sense, get a life.

Answer 9

First of all it's spelled "dangerous." If you're making mistakes like that, then you REALLY shouldn't be thinking of walking anywhere near the railroad tracks. As to the question, It is very dangerous! I've worked for the railroad for 6yrs. and let me tell you, accidents happen when you least expect it. you'd be amazed at how a big locomotive, or rail car, will sneak up on you. Even if you walking home, you shouldn't think of it, because UP, or mainline, has these automatic switches that will change when a train needs to go on another track. Good luck!

Answer 10

Walking on the tracks is illegal and is considered trespassing.

A railroad track is nothing to play around on or you could be playing with your life.

Remember always cross at a crossing and look both ways and listen before crossing.

I know allot of people that have walked on the track and they did not think they had anything to worry about, some of them was on a bridge and when the train came they did not have time to get off.

Just think about it, is your life worth playing around with.

Thanks for listening.

Answer 11

fooling around on railroad is not a good thing to do you can be or get hurt in many ways further more there may not be anyone there to help if you are hurt.

Answer 12

Well, consider this.  Railroad employees are NOT ALLOWED to walk on the tracks, or even the ties that are outside of the rails.  If they do, they are subject to disciplinary action by the employing railroad, and even the FRA.  

Coming within an arm's length of the rail when you are outside the guage ( the area between the rails ) of the track is known as fouling the track.  That's a BIG no no.

Now, if it's not considered safe for people who are properly schooled on how to  work with trains to walk on the tracks, then for someone who isnt even familiar with what the different whistle sounds mean it could be, and has been, many times, fatal.

Answer 13

Its probably not good.there are many dangers. My mother worked for the railroad for many years and always said to expect a train on any track and anytime .and there have been cases of where people have gotten their feet stuck in a piece of the track underneath or somehow and not been able to escape an oncoming train..

Answer 14

If you walk on the track with your mind of in la-la  land and not observing, you could be surprised by an approaching train and have to have somebody come along and pick you up in a doggy bag.  Really, if you do, just keep your eyes and ears open and be alert. You'll be surprised  how silent they can be upon you if not paying attention

Answer 15

Well, It's not a good idea,and it's also Illegal in the U.S.

Answer 16

Very

Answer 17

It isn't dangerous to walk on train tracks by themselves unless you trip and fall or step on a bottle.  Oh, but if there is actually a train coming?  Then you would be a fool to hang around.

Answer 18

It's incredibly dangerous, and completely unnecessary.

The problem I encounter on a now-regular basis seems to be pedestrians, more young than old, walking between the rails, their back to my train, with an Ipod or mp3 player plugged in.  They often don't hear us blowing the horn until we're real close, at which time they usually jump pretty high, and run off.

It won't be long, however, before someone gets lost in some great song that's turned up too loud, and we'll be on top of them before they hear that last verse.

Answer 19

Try being hit by a train and see how dangerous it is.

Answer 20

Walking on the tracks is pefectly safe, just like jumping from a roof onto a pile of rocks!  It is the train running over you that is not so safe.  Dumb question.  Every year people get killed by trains, and people still fool around with them.