If you're paralell to the railroad tracks, and a train hits you from behind would it crush you, or push you along the tracks?

I think what the asker is saying, and they can correct me if I'm wrong, if someone was in a vehicle sitting parallel to the track in that the car was facing in the same direction as the track (such as straddling it), and a train came and hit them from behind, would it crush the car or just push it. This would depend on a lot of things. A regular cargo train travels about 88 miles per hour, when it's at full speed.

A passenger train will travel between about 80-110 MPH, depending on what type of track and how heavy the train is. If the train is at full speed, and a car is on the track, and it is facing in the same direction as the train but is at a dead stop, a full-speed train would crush the car, provided the train hit the car dead on and the car was centered perfectly, and THEN it would drag the crumpled car along. The car would essentially crumple like a crushed can.

If the car was even a little bit off center, it's more likely the train would crush part of the car and then spin it and toss it off the track instead of dragging it. Usually dragging a car only happens when the car is T-boned on the approximate side-center. It's more likely to crumple and throw it off the track.

If the train was just getting up to speed, though, it could theoretically push the car along in front of it, provided someone was steering the car and had it in neutral. The train would have to be going about 15-20 MPH or so to cause that to happen rather than crumpling it, and if no one could steer it, it would eventually get tossed off the track to the side. I worked in law enforcement, criminal justice advocacy, and actually was a first responder on a scene of a train collision with a car.

The guy who ran the show at the scene, later during our dinner/debriefing with the team, told us that many of the newer trains has sophisticated sensors, as do the tracks, that can calculate the speed of the train and the proximity to an object on the tracks, and will automatically brake the train if there is time to stop, or purposely SPEED up a train if there is not. The reason for this is, the faster the train is going, the less likely crushing is and the more likely for a train to toss the car off the tracks. Crash reports, he told us, proved that tossing a car off the tracks is probably safer for the occupants than crushing and dragging.

He went on to say that many conductors have committed suicide after killing someone on a train track, when there was nothing they could do to prevent it. He also told us that nearly every conductor who has run a train for more than a few years was likely to encounter this scenario. Apparently, some people decide suicide by train is a good way to die.It was morbid and fascinating to listen to him talk.

I think what the asker is saying, and they can correct me if I'm wrong, if someone was in a vehicle sitting parallel to the track in that the car was facing in the same direction as the track (such as straddling it), and a train came and hit them from behind, would it crush the car or just push it. This would depend on a lot of things. A regular cargo train travels about 88 miles per hour, when it's at full speed.

A passenger train will travel between about 80-110 MPH, depending on what type of track and how heavy the train is. If the train is at full speed, and a car is on the track, and it is facing in the same direction as the train but is at a dead stop, a full-speed train would crush the car, provided the train hit the car dead on and the car was centered perfectly, and THEN it would drag the crumpled car along. The car would essentially crumple like a crushed can.

If the car was even a little bit off center, it's more likely the train would crush part of the car and then spin it and toss it off the track instead of dragging it. Usually dragging a car only happens when the car is T-boned on the approximate side-center. It's more likely to crumple and throw it off the track.

If the train was just getting up to speed, though, it could theoretically push the car along in front of it, provided someone was steering the car and had it in neutral. The train would have to be going about 15-20 MPH or so to cause that to happen rather than crumpling it, and if no one could steer it, it would eventually get tossed off the track to the side. I worked in law enforcement, criminal justice advocacy, and actually was a first responder on a scene of a train collision with a car.

The guy who ran the show at the scene, later during our dinner/debriefing with the team, told us that many of the newer trains has sophisticated sensors, as do the tracks, that can calculate the speed of the train and the proximity to an object on the tracks, and will automatically brake the train if there is time to stop, or purposely SPEED up a train if there is not. The reason for this is, the faster the train is going, the less likely crushing is and the more likely for a train to toss the car off the tracks. Crash reports, he told us, proved that tossing a car off the tracks is probably safer for the occupants than crushing and dragging.

He went on to say that many conductors have committed suicide after killing someone on a train track, when there was nothing they could do to prevent it. He also told us that nearly every conductor who has run a train for more than a few years was likely to encounter this scenario. Apparently, some people decide suicide by train is a good way to die.It was morbid and fascinating to listen to him talk...

That depends on velocity or relative velocity. Ex if the train is moving very slowly it will push, if it is moving very quickly it will smash. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity.

There are several factors affecting the likely outcome. 1. Relative speed of the train and car (i.e.

The difference in speeds). 2. Structural integrity of the car (i.e.

How robustly designed is the car). 3. Is the car in neutral, drive, or park (if it has a manual transmission change 'drive' to 'in gear').4.

Are the car breaks engaged, and if so, how much friction is there between the car and whatever surface it is on. In general, if the train is moving fast relative to the car, the car will likely be at least partially crushed. If the relative speed is extremely high, the car might be completely crushed.

If the car is lightly-built, it is more likely to crush at lower relative speeds (which may not be a bad thing for the passengers, compared to being thrown about inside the car as a result of a less elastic collision). If the car is in drive or park, and/or has its breaks engaged, it is more likely to crush, as it has more force operating in the opposite direction, making it less able to accelerate away from the train. If the train hits the car at an angle (which I realize is not how the question was framed) the car will almost certainly be partially crushed and thrown off to the side.

When I was in 3rd grade I was in a car crossing railroad tracks with what turned out to be a broken signal system. We had just started crossing when a passenger train hit the front of the car, a VW Variant, with its engine in the back. The train thus hit the trunk, which was ahead of the passenger compartment.

The car was thrown about 30 feet sideways and the trunk was almost completely crushed. Luckily both the driver and I got out with only a few scrapes and bruises, though obviously very shaken (in more ways than one).

Most likely yes it would. I run a news blog, and post articles all the time about railroad related incidents. It depends on where you are seated in the vehicle, how fast the train is moving, and if you are moving too or not.. But even a low speed a train hitting a but can lead to many deaths.. My own bus driver I warned one after having visions of a train hitting his bus of what to do to save lives the moment it happened.. My recommendation is always bail out of the vehicle and away from the tracks as fast as you can if the train is coming.. But if you can't get out of the vehicle like doors jammed, or the train is already there.. then you gun the gas in the same direction and turn it slightly away and just hope when the train hits you it spins you off the tracks.. or try to turn the vehicle so the train will directily hit on the side away from the gas tank, and away from you and the passengers may flip the vehicle.. it will for sure drag it... But 90% of the time a train hitting a vehicle of any kind even at slow speed it will crush the vehicle.. and the people inside if they are not able to bail out in time.. Please, do not ever park on the tracks or put your vehicle parallel to them and if you are stalled even if it seems like no train get out and immediately.

I do not want to post about your death or injuries on my blog... If a train is going slow its more opt to drag the vehicle.. but still the gas tank can explode and depending on where it hits you may or may not get crushed, or serious whiplash.. Many people even if the train does not crush their part of the vehicle the impact is strong enough that is breaks their sternum or ribs by pushing them into the stering wheel or doors etc.. When it comes to this is not something to just hold your breath and live through. The moment you are away you are on the tracks get off .. ASAP ..

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.