They don't even slow down when there is something on "their" tracks.This is why I don’t take Trains. They’re dangerous.
Really depends on what it is on the tracks but yes, often it's throttle 5 and blow it out of the right of way.
Sunday the passenger coming down from Fairbanks came upon lots of moose on the tracks in the Denali canyon. Someone estimated 38, from pictures we've counted about 26. A single moose is history but we were able to brake and slow the train and more or less goose the moose off the tracks. We don't smack everything.
Interesting thought on this. Assume sitting in that truck as the train is approaching. Wouldn't that sound automatically get louder the closer the source of the sound got to the ears of the truck driver? Under the heat of the situation, how could the truck driver determine whether the engineer actually opened the throttle or was it just getting closer and thus louder?Fuel hauler friend got hit at a crossing carrying 6000 gals of gasoline. Said he heard the locomotive go to full throttle right before impact.
Nobody wants to stop in the middle of a fire. Miraculously there was not one. Very informative video there, courierguy.
Interesting thought on this. Assume sitting in that truck as the train is approaching. Wouldn't that sound automatically get louder the closer the source of the sound got to the ears of the truck driver? Under the heat of the situation, how could the truck driver determine whether the engineer actually opened the throttle or was it just getting closer and thus louder?
That makes sense. You didn't mention originally that the truck driver spoke to the engineer. Under the circumstances, had I been the engineer, I think I may have done the same thing.Fair point. And with the doppler effect we're accustomed to hearing with trains. My information comes from the truck driver and he said the train driver said he did that. Whether that is policy or not I don't know. I'd never thought of that before as I always assumed a train would attempt to stop. In this case it would seem to make perfect sense to carry as much energy as possible through the accident location and beyond. Also this was a couple of engines only and why the truck driver missed them as he was looking along the track for a longer train. I drive an 18 wheeler part of the year and it's amazing what can hide behind those big mirrors. Also a mystery as to why a full trailer of gasoline didn't result in a catastrophic fire. Maybe 'Mythbusters' will take this one on. In the plane/train video in question in this thread, it seems the train driver just 'kept on truckin'. As it were.