When approaching train tracks by foot...

Question

And there is a train coming, what distance should you remain from the train (lol that rhymes) as it is passing by?

Answer 1

100 feet can be to close if something goes wrong.I was rolling a train by once while standing about 100 feet from the side of it.A brake shoe came off a car,hit the ground once and then flipped back into the air.It just missed hitting me in the head.The car it came off was about 3 car lengths from me when it fell off. It always amazes me when i see someone stand right next to a train going by them.It's not a wise thing to do!

Answer 2

30 feet and you wont get beat

(you started it)

Answer 3

far enough so u dont get hit lol. like 10 feet would be pretty safe i guess.

Answer 4

I've never heard of any specific distance.  Beyond the obvious of standing far enough back that you don't get hit, you want to be far enough back that the engineer knows that you will be safe.  If he thinks you're too close, he may hit the brakes, with potentially bad consequences.  He might also contact the police, using his radio, reporting that you're trespassing on railroad property.

Answer 5

30 feet is the general rule of thumb. Even the railroads generally require that the employees stay at least 25 ft. back when doing a roll-by of another train.

Answer 6

Keep well back from the Tracks as possible.  Tracks are for Trains, not for idiots.

On Tuesday 05 August 2008, a young man was killed by a Train.  He was walking along the track, and guillotined.  The Train was coming from the back of him; intentionally seeking to kill himself.   Well ..he succeeded in this endeavour.

After this passes you, be sure to look to the opposite Track.  Trains are invisible, and silent killers.

I sincerely hope that you are not looking to do yourself in....

Answer 7

The further the better, for several reasons:

1.  Stuff falls off the train and can do so at any time.  I had a roll of coil steel bust through a boxcar door once.  Why it was in a boxcar to begin with is a mystery to me, since they are usually loaded into cars designed specifically for their transport, usually referred to as "hog troughs."  This 20+ ton roll came out as we were pulling into a ten MPH siding, so no real harm was done.  But just a few miles before, we were flippin' across grade crossings at speed.  Someone could have wound up with it in their lap, going 40 MPH.

2.  Dunnage (usually securing / blocking material from a previous load left loose) can fall off or be protruding from a car as well.

3.  Lumber loads on flat cars are usually secured by heavy metal bands, which break from time to time.  The get sharpened very quickly when dragging on the ground and will cut you right in two.

4.  Chains can be dragging along the ground.

5.  Of course a derailment can happen at any time as well.

6.  When people put things on the rail for the train to flatten, they at time put railroad spikes on the rail.  These do not flatten, but they get "squirted" out the side when the leading wheel of the locomotive hits it.  They do so at high velocity and become lethal projectiles.

7.  People throw rocks at the trains, too.  These usually bounce back and can severely injure anyone near by, including the idiot who threw the rock.

8.  Be aware of your surroundings and never get yourself into a spot with "close clearance," such as on a bridge, trestle or between the rails and an embankment.

9.  Don't count on hearing a train as it approaches.  Engines don't always pull cars around.  They shove 'em around, too.  A car can sneak up on you in near silence when being shoved with the engine being a mile or more away.  Freight cars are often left to roll on their own during switching operations as well.

10.  In addition, there are hazards along the right of way that have little to do with the trains themselves, such as poor footing, sharp metal flash on the insides of worn rail, as well as empty tubes of a highly caustic material used by maintenance of way people.  Handle one and you'll receive severe chemical burns to the skin.

So, enjoy them from a distance, or just give the trains the respect they are due.  Failure to do so can have tragic consequences...