bchulett said:
Dan, what does it feel like when a train hits a vehicle ? ... can you actually feel the impact ?
I’ve only had the misfortunate opportunity of hitting a car just once. When you hit things in a train, the way you feel it depends on the angle of the impact and how fast you're going.
I’ve hit a cow at 80 mph dead on, did about $6,000 worth of damage to the front of the locomotive, and felt just a bump. Definitely heard it though. That cow popped like a water balloon. Oh yeah, cows do fly!!!
Hit a car with a freight locomotive at 17 mph, at an angle, shook the crap out the locomotive, and didn’t do a bit of damage. Definitely heard that one too. Wadded that car up like a ball of paper.
Fortunately that’s all I can tell you. I can say that I’m an accomplished hunter!!! Bunny’s, owls, coyotes, foxes, deer, elk, antelope, the list goes on……..
I haven't read all the news about this accident, but the way that train derailed after hitting a car, the engineer was probably running from a cab-car. Meaning he was running from a control stand in the rear car, and the locomotive was actually pushing the train. Cab cars are light..