If positioned right would it be possible to get a train to come off the tracks with just a coin..?

Question

Or is it even possible to get a train to come off the trackS?

Answer 1

This is guaranteed to raise some eyebrows, but, with strict adherence to the question, in particular that part reading "positioned right," then the answer is yes, it sure can.

For an explanation you must click on my smiling face and access my 360 from my Y!A profile page. Once there, read the blog post for April 5, 2007. It is titled "The Million Dollar Dime." Too long to reprint here.

Don't feel too bad about your moniker, Derail. It is better than Ralph "Crash" Caddell, Chris "No Signal" Fultz, or Jesse "Sometimes they stop, sometimes they don't." Maben.

Answer 2

I cannot imagine a coin doing that although every time I say never I am wrong.
A train is very heavy so to actually "lift" the equipment far enough to come off the tracks would be nearly impossible.
There are derailments to be sure, but usually caused by either mechanical failure in a car or other equipment or failure of the rail itself.
I have been through some pretty large rockslides and snow avalanches and never been off the track because of them.
I hope you are not thinking of trying to cause a deramilement yourself, that is a felony and is dealt with very seriously by the law enforcement agencies.
I can think of several secenarios that will cause deraliments, and some are quite simple, some I know the hard way LOL.
As for nicknames on the RR, lotsa people have em for sure. "Scrap iron" and "Knuckles" being about as common as Smith and Jones in the phone book.

Answer 3

Hey Joe. A coin cannot derail a train. I've been in on several derailments. My avatar name is also my nickname at work. I had a bad streak of luck for a time - long story. Anyway, the problem that always led to my derail misfortunes was bad track. A broken rail, wide gauge, and soft ground in the spring. The railroad I work on is quite old and rather small. It's not like the high speed, high volume lines most people are accustomed to seeing.

Answer 4

It is possible to have a train come off the tracks but not with a coin. To knock a train off of a track is a question of force versus mass. In order for a coin to derail a whole train it would have to be traveling at such fantastic speed that the impact of the coin would generate enough energy to derail the coin. The speed needed to generate such an impact is in the 100,000 miles per hour range.

Answer 5

the way a train wheel works, whether on freight cars or locomotives is a lip on the inside of the wheel that rides on the inside of the rail. The lip probably hangs down 3/4-1 inch therefore in order to realistically get a train off the tracks, you would have to place something in front of it that would lift it up over an inch while pushing it to the side as well to get it off the tracks. Keep in mind a locomotive weighs around 400,000lbs and ONE loaded car of coal weighs over 140 Tons. Ive never seen anything placed on the tracks by a civilian that could derail a train.

Answer 6

If you watch a train run over a rock it turns into mostly dust and a few tiny pieces. Now imagine a flat small round coin. It's not gonna derail a train, it's gonna be flattened. Come on dude its common sense.

Answer 7

No, a coin would not derail a train. We had a kid in high school, who did manage to wreck one once, back in the 70's. He wrapped a log chain around the rails, and it did manage to cause the locomotive to jump the track.

Answer 8

not with a coin. They did it on mythbusters. And as for coming completely off the tracks, it is very unlikely Tracks were built to support trains and hey are very mechanically well built to keep the wheels of the train locked in

Answer 9

it is possible to get a train of the tracks.
i dont think a pound coin could take the train off the trac k, as trains usualy obliterate anyhitng that comes in thewir path. i mean there must be stones on tracks all the time if you understand me.
dale

Answer 10

No. I see people doing the different day on the Amtrak station right here in Michigan. And as Derail stated " over 10 mph. it particularly isn't any longer undemanding to discover it back" often times even no longer undemanding to discover while the practice stops suited in front of you and after it leaves, no coin. yet derailment. Heck no.