by kilroy
morris&essex4ever wrote:You can't fix stupid......You can fix it permenantly with a Darwin Award..
Why do we drive on parkways and park in driveways?
Railroad Forums
Moderators: lensovet, Kaback9, nick11a
morris&essex4ever wrote:You can't fix stupid......You can fix it permenantly with a Darwin Award..
Mbta fan wrote:That's just stupid to lay on those tracks. He's lucky an acela or regional wasnt going by.I've heard that tracks with an electrified system be it 3rd rail or overhead line, connecting the 2 rails can complete a circuit & zap you pretty good.
25Hz wrote:I've heard that tracks with an electrified system be it 3rd rail or overhead line, connecting the 2 rails can complete a circuit & zap you pretty good.I think touching the two running rails together and completing that circuit has something to do with the signal system (i.e. a train's two metal wheels and the metal body complete the circuit between the two running rails telling the signals that there is a train there. I could be wrong, though, I'm not insane enough to test it myself. Close. But not that loopy.
Tadman wrote:For the purposes of traction power, the running rails are the return leg of the circuit. You can't zap yourself by shorting them. The locomotive shorts said running rails due to metal wheels and truck frames. Not that I would advise being on a live track and trying this anyway.While the rails are the return part of the circuit it is still not advisable to touch them unless need be in electric territory.
They surest way to get zapped is to short the circuit between active catenary or third rail and ground. Ground can include the running rails. Do not do this.