Clearance between Loco Pilot, interconnecting Hoses, Rail Head and Ties

[Isambard]

Occassionaly we read of someone escaping death, and maybe injury, when run over by a train, by lying flat between the tracks, usually in thriller movies.

How probable is this? What typically are dimensions between the loco pilot and interconnecting hoses and the railhead, and the railhead and the tie/ballast surface in modern North American practice for rapid transit systems and for major railroads? And in European practice?

Questions posed as research for a film script.

PS: In what movies was this plot device used?

 

[mudchicken]

Pilot to top of rail is nominally 5", then top of rail to top of tie can be upwards of 4-6" dependent on weight of rail section (more if on concrete or steel ties, like another 2")

...then comes the traction motor cases....

[jeaton]

Sounds to me like the movie will have be of the comic book genre where the character in the path of the train can morph into a flat puddle of something. 

[Dutchrailnut]

The pilot(plow) is the lowest Item on locomotive, traction motor cases are about a 1" or 2 higher.

 But the biggest danger to person laying in gauge would be to be hit by a dangeling set of airhoses, those heads at about 25 mph would be like a sledge hammer blow.

 so how high is the pilot plate(plow above the rail ?? lets go to FRA requirement:

                      Subpart C_Safety Requirements



Sec. 229.123  Pilots, snowplows, end plates.



    After January 1, 1981, each lead locomotive shall be equipped with

an end plate that extends across both rails, a pilot, or a snowplow. The

minimum clearance above the rail of the pilot, snowplow or end plate

shall be 3 inches, and the maximum clearance 6 inches.

 

[rixflix]

I almost had to lay (talk about flat) between the rails. We were trackwalking about a third of the way across the Reading's belt line bridge at CP Cumru. A gauntlet bridge!!! It would have been a squeeze to get between the wheel flanges. An eastbound freight was coming right at us 12-13-14 year olds and we made a quick decision to run down the narrow side decking to a fire barrel platform. Alco FA's, and I'm not sure if all of us got home with clean underpants.

I still have nightmares once in a while about dragging air hoses or equipment. Walking the tracks back then, you'd see boxcar doors and journal lids and all kinds of hardware on the ROW. It was our practice then to be on the inside of a curve when a passenger train came out of Franklin Street or Birdsboro because someone might flush the toilet!!!

Disclaimer: I don't recommend any of the above to anyone and feel lucky to be alive today.

Be safe,

(formerly reckless)

Rix

[Modelcar]

....Last summer here on the nearby NS line there were two teenage girls and a slow moving train just starting out of Muncie headed northwest.  It is my understanding one girl jumped {at the last minute}, in front of the train and the engine did pass over her and she recieved some serious injuries....But lived...Have heard no more about that incident as it was kept rather quiet.

What made us shiver was we were passing just north of that train at the very spot driving into Muncie at the time and I saw it stopping and thought something was not normal stopping there, etc....All I'm saying, is the train passed over her and it was reported she was alive with serious injuries...Terrible.