how long does the average freight train take to pass?

Question

*im meaning like when your sitting at the gates*

Answer 1

It depends on length and speed. A train one mile long would take:

45 seconds at 80 MPH
48 seconds at 75 MPH
56 seconds at 65 MPH
1 minute at 60 MPH.
1 minute and 6 seconds for 55 MPH
1 minute and 12 seconds at 50 MPH
1 minute and 20 seconds at 45 MPH
1 minute and 30 seconds at 40 MPH
1 minute and 43 seconds at 35 MPH
2 minutes at 30 MPH
2 minutes and 26 seconds at 25 MPH
4 minutes at 15 MPH
6 Minutes at 10 MPH

If a train were 1 and 1/2 miles long, then you would add half again as much, etc.

It is definitely worth waiting for these trains to pass if your intention is to reach a ripe old age...................

Answer 2

You would have to know how long the train was and how long it takes to pass you.For example a mile long train that takes 60 seconds to pass is going 60mph.1 minute 30 seconds= 40 mph.Or you would have to time it over a miles distance to get the speed if you didn't know the length.The average freight train these days is 6,000 to 8,000 feet long.Most freight trains are 40 to 70 mph.Most passenger trains are limited to 79 mph.No idea how fast commuter trains operate but a guess would be whatever the track speed is they are operating on.

Answer 3

Indeed, as rbanzai was saying the time is dependent on train length and crossing speed. This can range from freights either traveling at speed, and not required to slow whatsoever, at well above 60 mph or a slow city/street crossing which only allows 5-10 mph through the crossing. As you can probably guess, the difference in time is quite staggering from just a few moments to several minutes (if you are waiting at a gated crossing near or in city limits the freight train is likely required to slow considerably taking anywhere from say, 5-15 minutes to clear the crossing).

Answer 4

Freight trains can be different lengths, and different crossings might have different speed limits for the train.

I (briefly) worked for the SP/Rio Grande railroad and we had one run that was a 130 car coal train. As you can imagine at a low speed crossing that would take quite a long time.

Answer 5

The answer is inversely proportionate to the amount of time you have. If you are late for work, the train may be infinitely long. If, however, you are headed to your girlfriend's to break up with her, the train will practically leave the tracks as it flies by. I'm pretty sure Einstein developed a formula for this.

Answer 6

depends on how fast the train is going and how long the train is

Answer 7

all depends on the speed it's traveling