Hello everyone,
First time here. I live in Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is our public transportation system. The TTC subway uses third rail, and at stations, the third rail is located opposite to the platform. Also, the area between the third rail and the wall of the station is the widest, and there are sometimes fences right behind the third rail.
I hope that my following scenario happens to none of you, but if a person falls onto the tracks and he/she cannot return to the platform in time, would it be safe to leap over the third rail and place yourself along the wall to avoid being struck by the train?
Moreover, some stations have an emergency current stopping device but the train would still have motion; the person would need to move out of the train's away anyways.
Thanks in advance. I am just curious about my scenario.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
jimrice4449 wrote:I'm not quite sure of the arrangement you describe but, in theory, that third rail can't hurt you unless you touch it and the ground (or close enough to the ground for the the current to jump the gap) at the same time. You can, again in theory, jump onto the third rail and walk along it placing one foot ahead of the other as long as you don't touch the ground. You can. I'll watch!
Absolutely true. That's how birds can perch on power lines, even million-volt ones, without becoming candidates for Col. Sanders!
The only problem is, just how close is too close?
How close is too close? Somewhere between 1000 volts per inch and 20,000 volts per inch, depending on humidity. I.e., if it's 700 volts, it probably won't jump an inch. Real problem is you will unavoidably touch both the rail and the ground if you slip. As kids we used to dare each other to jump onto the third rail. To my knowledge, no one ever did.
We did some other careless things around trains, but not that one!
First the rush of air from the movement of the train would blow you off the wall.
Second point. most railcars are 600V. the rail cars use about 100 amps start up. a human body only nees 1 amp flow to be serverly shocked. at 600v and 1 amp you become a 600w heater. But at 600 v you would carry about 100 amps.
Quick Safety cut off or fuses for electric motors and slow blow. You would be cooked well done and the fuse would not know you were there.
600v you would have to be with in a 1/4 inch for it to jump to you.
once it does jump it would follow for a long ways and your would be a chrispy tender.
With in six months in Chicago. a person fell onto the tracks. A man jumped in and covered the fallen person. The train went about 2 or 3 cars before stopping over them.
The good samaritan received the good citizen award from the mayor.