Why are not many wild animals killed by the electric rail of railways?

Question

There have been many reports of deaths by electrocution of persons touching the live rail. So I assume that every morning, guards are clearing the dead bodies of cats and foxes that have attempted to cross the railway. Yet, we don't hear of it in the news. Either the mass carnage of beloved pets and native wild creatures goes unnoticed, or it does not happen, or ...? What?

Answer 1

They are probably shocked into disintegration. No evidence.

Answer 2

DC lines in the South East area of England are dangerous, most animals luckily do not earth themselves or are able to jump over, or slide under the rails, however each year about now, loads of Badgers get 'Juiced' as they come out of hibernation and look for new territory, dogs will not normally come into contact with the juice rail unless they are let off the lead or get away from the owner, foxes can jump over the rails, cats tend to keep away from it.

Once a creature is juiced however it is not cleaned off or removed, normally once a train has been over it a few times, the carrion crows, rats, mice, etc, etc have a good free lunch. The only time the line might be blocked and electrical current discharged would be if the creature was a medium - large one, like deer, cow, horse, etc or there was a trespass by some silly do gooder trying to retrieve or help a wounded animal and putting themselves at risk

Also now reading some of the other answers. The DC line is automatically earthed once an object touches it and the ground, unlike AC will not repel but draw you to the rail and slowly cook you from the inside, and the third rail system that most people seem to be thinking of is the Underground System which is different again from Third Rail DC (650 -850 volt) RAILWAY Which stretches all over the home counties.

Answer 3

Read the answers given to this previous question. I can't believe the amount of thumbs-down given to the answerers, nor can I believe some of the answers to your question!

It's all perfectly logical! (teener_B's answer is correct, by the way).

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 4

Yes, wild animals sometimes get killed by electricity transmission lines passing through forests. In the province of Kerala, in Southern India where I live, many wild elephants got killed by getting in contact with high voltage electricity transmission lines passing through forests in the Western Ghats of Kerala. Unfortunately, most of the hydro-electric projects in Kerala are situated on the verdant forests of Kerala on the high ranges of the Western Ghats. Very recently two wild elephants were knocked down and killed  by a speeding train in the Walayar forest area  under Palakkad Division of the Southern Railways in India. Accidents of these nature frequently occur in Railway lines passing through forest tracts in India and they are reported by local newspapers here.

Prem

Calicut, India

Answer 5

I would imagine that there are a few who find themselves electrified.  Perhaps the same happens to those animals as when a deer, fox, racoon, cat, dog, etc. is killed by crossing the freeway.  The local animal control/protection has to come and clean up the caracass or other animals get a free meal!

The first person from CA who said that their tracks aren't electrified??  The third rail on BART is electric.

Answer 6

The third rail system is used in subways. Trains that travel overland use overhead wires to supply power. And that's just the way it is.

Answer 7

they're smarter! duhhhhhhhhhhh! we have different feelings

Answer 8

well, actually, i bet quite a few animals are killed. It's just not news, so we never find out about it.

Answer 9

I cant say about the city lines that use a third rail system.

I worked on a line that used overhead lines years ago, all that got electrocuted there was an occassional large bird.

Railroad lines are in fact very popular avenues of movement for animals, wild and domestic. They are not an obstacle, quite the opposite, far safer and quieter for them to move than along a busy highway. Fewer people, usually good food for browsing animals, especially in winter, a train maybe every half hour as opposed to cars in a continuous stream, etc. They feel quite secure, I see deer laying down in the tall grass near the right of way almost every day, deer have their fawns near railroad lines a lot.

Every year  we run over literally thousands of deer, elk, moose, bear, turkeys, etc and domestic animals too.

It is heartbreaking and blowing the whistle does nothing to change it, many times the animals just turn and look.

Answer 10

To all the people who say that third rail is used in Subways only: sorry, but you're wrong. There are areas where 3rd rail is used on main lines (especially south england) or suburban lines too (for example many 'S-Bahn'-Systems in Germany use 3rd rail.

Just look at the pictures on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rail

Here is another fine example from France: http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/narr...

Answer 11

Maybe they are inclined to stay away. A railway line is a major obstacle to an animal, electrified or not.

Answer 12

Partly because it is not reported but mostly because the animals usually slither under or hop over the third rail. BTW, someone mentioned that third rail is for undergroung rail lines - not true, Metro north and LIRR in NY have extensive thirdrail systems at ground level in NY and surrounding area.

Answer 13

when i was a youngster i lived right next to the railways and used to play on there believe it or not climbing on board trains that was parked up etc  but i do remember when my mates and i was walking down the lines to go to the local fishing pond we found smashed remains of a cow across the lines so animals do get hit if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time and yes so was my mates and i but in your low teens you think nothing will ever happen to you

Answer 14

As has been pointed out, virtually all electrified lines that go between cities use an overhead power line (a catenary).  It's not overly dangerous to animals provided that they are not grounded when they touch the wire.  Also, the wires tend to hum and vibrate, keeping most of the animals away.

For third-rail systems, typically in urban areas, there's always a protective board on top of the electrified rail.  If an animal (or a person) just touches the protective board, they should be safe.  It's when you touch the electrified rail beneath the board, and are also grounded, that death will occur.

Answer 15

it emits a noise........ppl don't listen

Answer 16

Because Wild Animals Don't live in Populated Area's!

Answer 17

I have observed animals on the railway line.  Virtually all small animals prefer to step on to a rail with all feet and walk lengthways along the rail, with no touching of the ground.  As they are not earthed, a circuit is not completed so they don't get electrocuted.

By the way, most of the railway lines in the Southern Region of England is third rail.

Answer 18

don't you have to touch the live AND one other to complete the circuit? Most wild animals either jump across or are too small to reach both.

Answer 19

LOTS OF WRONG ANSWERS.

Aside from subways, electric trains use an overhead wire, NOT a third rail.

Answer 20

where do you live man?

I live in Calif and our railways are NOT electric...