Lightning Strikes vs. GRR

[marlboro]

I remember seeing an article in last years GRR regarding this subject. This guy's transformer was fried, can't even remember if his locos suffered any damage, that is, if they were still on the track. My question is, Electrified or battery powered, what are the consequences of leaving your loco on track during Mother Natures light show????? Chances are, as we all seem to think, about being hit by lightning, but this guy's railroad bought the toast!!!! Isolated case, I agree, but, has it ever happened to you, and what precautions do YOU take for your railroad???? There's even a place called lightning alley somewhere in Florida, Any garden railroaders out there????

[tangerine-jack]

I've had intimate relations with lightning in the past. While it did not involve a RR, I learned to fully respect the power of lightning. Seems anything made of metal, or even wood when it's wet, has the potential of becoming a conductor during a lightning strike. My little incident involved a vehicle and radios, but the damage done was astonishing. I could only imagine the sad little lump of plastic and brass that used to be a locomotive sitting on the twisted remains of smoking track. Hope nobody has the misfortune of experiencing this event.

[oX)]

[marlboro]

I totally agree, that when it comes to lightning, it favours anyone, and anything. I'm a passionate lover of storms, being ice,snow, tornadoes, etc. Last summer, I saw the sky blackening, and when all heck broke loose, I was out on the front ,roof covered porch, barefoot in shorts,(it was hot that day) on the dry concrete floor, holding on to the aluminum porch railings, when a gigantic flash of lightning came down , maybe a few streets away, and What a terrific shock did I get, going up one arm, through the other, of respectable voltage I must add!!!!! My gal said to me, You asked for it, barefoot and all !!! I, for myself, am happy to still be here to talk about it, it didn't hurt, but RESPECT it ALOT more now!!!! My preventive solution would be to take ALL loco's off the track, and unplug all tranfo's, if applicable!!!!! They're just too $$$$$ to risk.!!!!!!!

[Rastun]

We had lightning hit a tree at a place I used to work. The tree was next to a cement curb, some how the energy got transfered into the rebar in the curb and at every place the rebar over lapped for a new bar to start it blew the concrete out of the curb. During the clean up the next day the farthest moved piece of concrete was about the size of a baseball and over 300 feet away. We all where very amazed that it made it that far without hitting any other trees or anything.

Jack

[marlboro]

Hell has no wrath like mother nature, Now THAT'S POWER!!!!!!!

[grandpopswalt]

MM,

There was an article in GR within the last 6 to 9 issues that discusses just what you're talking about.

Lightening, which is the discharge of static electricity, will seek the path of least resistance. If the strike is into the tracks, current will flow to any path leading to ground, the one with least resistance will get the largest current. So the power supply, weather turned on or not, is going to fry (as long as its plugged in and connected to the rails). The loco’s motor will probably take a hit but I’m not sure if the rolling stock will suffer any damage (plastic truck frames).

To put it into perspective, the voltage that produces a lightening bolt is in the millions of volts. I seem to recall that 14 million volts is common. Compare that to the voltage generated at Hoover Dam which is about 230 thousand volts or 1/60 the voltage of a lightening strike.

Walt

[Anonymous]

I remember this article.In the pictures it showed that although it did hardly any damage to the track ,the controllers were detroyed.One picture showed some very melted LGB plastic railjoiners where the voltage had flashed over.Generally though I don't think lightning is a problem.Just take normal precautions,like don't start taking the flag down from a metal flagpole.[angel]

[Anonymous]

Troy,
Does this mean I have to give up kite flying with a key on the string whilst standing on my track? What a bummer.

Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Kim,
I think that the kite flying thing is ok but make sure you have bare feet.Stay away from those rubber soul shoes..[:D][:D]
Troy

[marlboro]

Makes alot of sense to me Walt, but like you said, the loco would probably to take a hit, and in this case, I would pull off all my motive power off the tracks, when not in use, as a precaution. On top of that, we add in sound boards and on board receivers, dcc decoders, etc. All this gone up in a flash in a microsecond!!!! Thanks for the advice and technical support!!!!

[Rastun]

MM,

Wouldn't it be easier for those that use track power to take motive power in when ever these kind of storms are present and in addition a couple quick disconnects for the power supply to the track would be easily installed and disconnected. And unplugging the power supply all computers and TV's would be extra cautious also.

Jack

[Rene Schweitzer]

FYI, the article that's being referred to was in the June 2004 issue.

[markperr]

I must admit, I'm criminally negligent when it comes to disconnecting my P/S for the rails during a storm. Guess I'm lucky that it hasn't happened to me yet.
Used to work for a cable company in Detroit many years back. It was actually a predecessor to "true" cable. The method of transmission was via a microwave antenna on top of the tallest building in the city which shot the signal to roof top antennas. One day we got a call from a customer saying our cable box caught fire and burned up one of the rooms in her house. After investigating the claim, it was determined to be a lightning strike which had hit the antenna center conductor, traveling through the center conductor of the cable, past the ground block and into the set top and subsequently the TV. The roome was charcoal. Customer wasn't too happy when I told her that it was an act of God and that we couldn't pay. She had to settle with her insurance company.

Since, I've been close enough to a strike to be temporarily deafened by the thunder clap but knock on dry wood, haven't actually been hit.

Mark

[tangerine-jack]

Lightning is no joke and nothing to play with. During a live fire, one of my cannons took a direct hit, blew the crew completely off the gun, fried my vehicle, destroyed the radios and computers. Never could find the antenna that was attached to the headset I was wearing at the time.

DO NOT even attempt to run your RR when a lightning storm is in the area, you will lose, the RR will lose, and we will lose a valuable contributor to the forum and hobby. No material thing, no matter what the cost, is worth you life.

I keep my power source disconnected from the RR and power outlet when not in use. Am I paranoid? Yes, unapologetically so.

[oX)]

[Anonymous]

slightly more pleasant than lightning....



I took this last week just before sunset.
I never did find the pot of gold at the end of it though [:D]

Glen

[Rene Schweitzer]

Glen,

What a cool pic! It can be quite hard to photograph that type of thing, but you did a great job!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Rene,

Rainbows don't usually photograph as well as you see them with your eye. You think you see a good one and take a photo, and it doesn't even show up.

This was the brightest one I have ever seen, which is why I stopped what I was doing and took a photo. My only regret is that I didn't put a train on the track, and now I'll probably never get another chance like that again.

Glen.

[nalts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RockyCreekNZ

Thanks Rene,

Rainbows don't usually photograph as well as you see them with your eye. You think you see a good one and take a photo, and it doesn't even show up.

This was the brightest one I have ever seen, which is why I stopped what I was doing and took a photo. My only regret is that I didn't put a train on the track, and now I'll probably never get another chance like that again.

Glen.

Glen-

Sure you will. One word...

Photoshop!

[nalts]

Hey all-

I didn't see anyone mention grounding rods. Anyone have one connected to their tracks? I would think that a nice 1/2" x 8' long rod would help stave off some damage, or at the very least, help control where all that juice flows too.

Any comments?

Chris

[Tom The Brat]

Great rainbow!

The idea is to ground everything!

Lightning rods actually work by dissipating the positive ground charge into the air, encouraging the lightning to strike somewhere else.