Can locomotive engine fenders be modified to prevent human and animal accidents?

[sibitg]

Hi Engineering guys, why you can't think about modifying the locomotive engine fender to push away human beings and animals from track. You know, each day there are hunderds of human beings are getting trapped under the wheels of locomotives. Can you guys think about modifying the fender - reducing its height further, changing its shape, moving it near to wheels or away further from wheels, giving the loco driver a control over the height of the fender etc. Please make it a discussion topic and create a new innovative locomotice engine fender and file patent.

 

[SpeedJunkie]

I think the "push away" fender will be fatal at impact due to the locomotive mass and speed. The best way not to get killed is to avoid it.

 

[Topher925]

I personally don't like the idea of having a "people pusher" on the front of trains as it ultimately reduces the amount of morons in the world.

 

[Wetmelon]

I'm sure you could design a soft "people pusher" fender. The current cattle guard would kill you on impact, and probably send you flying 30 ft.

 

[Ranger Mike]

I personally don't like the idea of having a "people pusher" on the front of trains as it ultimately reduces the amount of morons in the world.

I agree..nothing wrong with social Darwinism...

 

[S_Happens]

You know, each day there are hunderds of human beings are getting trapped under the wheels of locomotives.

Hundreds daily?

 

[Ranger Mike]

sibitg
please note your source on this death count. what government source?

 

[sibitg]

In our area, at least 2 days in a week, there will be news like "2 people moved down by tran", "3 people moved down" etc. This count is for only 30km stretch of railway line passes through our area. This news never gets attention, since it is very common. Even news papers summarize the news in two or three lines in local news section. So I GUESS, the count in national or international level could be hundreds, may be I am wrong.

There are two types of victims - 1) accidently get caught in front of the train 2) they want to kill them selves.

Yes, due to the mass and speed of the train the chances of sruvival is less. But atleast if we can push them away from the wheels, that would be great.

 

[Ranger Mike]

before I will consider this seriously I need empirical data not anecdotal storys from news papers.

 

[brewnog]

I can believe the 'statistics' actually. For example, have you seen the slums which line the railways in many Indian cities? I'm not sure an adapted cow catcher is the solution though...

 

[DaveC426913]

In our area, at least 2 days in a week, there will be news like "2 people moved down by tran", "3 people moved down" etc. This count is for only 30km stretch of railway line passes through our area.

I would suggest that your efforts would be better put toward stopping this problem in your area. Education, safety measures, etc.

This is something you could act on now, today, rather than trying to find a technology solution years away that no one else will be convinced is necessary.

 

[JaredJames]

I would suggest that your efforts would be better put toward stopping this problem in your area. Education, safety measures, etc.

A fence?

All the lines around where I live have big steel fences with spikes surrounding them. If you need to cross there are designated crossing points with signs saying "look both ways". There is a raised section allowing you to cross and preventing tripping on the track itself. All car crossings have lights at the very least. To get hit by a train is very much down to stupidity (even without such safety measures).

I take it the OP understands the purpose of the cow catcher? They certainly don't give the cow a 'gentle shove' to move it out of the way. If anything, in a situation where I end up on the track and can't get out of the way, I wouldn't want the cow catcher installed, I'd rather take my chances by laying as flat as possible hoping it passes over me (extremely optimistic I know).

 

[DaveC426913]

I take it the OP understands the purpose of the cow catcher? They certainly don't give the cow a 'gentle shove' to move it out of the way.

That is a good point.

The cow-catcher serves a practical purpose in preventing the carcass from getting under the wheels and derailing the train. But I do not know how many cows actually survive the experience - I suspect that function comes in at a very distant second.