View Full Version : Ghost Hunters Meet Locomotive.
nismaratwork
Aug28-10, 10:02 AM
Maybe I'm cynical, bitter, and tired of this paranormal "hunter' ****, but I find this absolutely hilarious. I'm sorry for the death, but the manner of death is Darwin Award material.
http://www.necn.com/08/28/10/Ghost-hunter-killed-on-railroad-tracks-i/landing.html?blockID=299563&feedID=4207
From a local TV station's report (http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13054055):
The group of people did not immediately run from the real train because they believed the train was -- in fact -- the 'ghost train' and posed no real threat, sheriff's officials said.
Ivan Seeking
Aug28-10, 11:58 AM
Okay, the first post didn't really phase me as people get killed by trains all the time, but THAT is too much!
nismaratwork
Aug28-10, 02:18 PM
Yeah... well having spent some time in North Carolina, I wish I could say that I was surprised. To the man's credit, it does seem that his last act was to push his girlfriend off the tracks (giving her a chance to live). Stupid people, but not bad people at least. Still, when people ask what possible harm can come of these little hobbies, this would seem to be a good object lesson.
It sounds like they've made up the "hero" thing to make his death look better. According to a 911 call A caller to 911 told dispatchers that all but three of the group were able to get off the tracks. The caller said that Kaiser, another man, and a woman, all fell.
Ivan Seeking
Aug28-10, 03:04 PM
Still, when people ask what possible harm can come of these little hobbies, this would seem to be a good object lesson.
I seriously doubt that we will see a flurry of ghost hunter deaths. People get killed by trains because they walk down the tracks while wearing ear buds [headphones], but no one complains about head phones. Stupid is stupid.
People are doing this stuff all over the world now, but this is the first time that I've heard about anything like this.
So now do you think there'll be a legend of a ghost-train-hunter ghost, who will push you off the tracks and save you from an oncoming actual train? But only on the anniversary of his death, of course.
Ivan Seeking
Aug28-10, 03:11 PM
So now do you think there'll be a legend of a ghost-train-hunter ghost, who will push you off the tracks and save you from an oncoming actual train? But only on the anniversary of his death, of course.
Yes! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
And it happened on the anniversary of the original crash.
mugaliens
Aug28-10, 05:27 PM
Wow. Just lay down next to the tracks! It's a bit thunderous, but at least you don't have to lose your life if you're caught on a trestle.
Wow. Just lay down next to the tracks! It's a bit thunderous, but at least you don't have to lose your life if you're caught on a trestle.
Does anyone know if it's survivable to lay in between the tracks?
mugaliens
Aug28-10, 08:13 PM
Does anyone know if it's survivable to lay in between the tracks?
I wouldn't attempt it. The clearance between the cow/dear/moose-catcher and the ties isn't all that much. This is a narrow-guage video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nieK4GHov-Y), but you can see how low that thing goes. The idea isn't so much to "catch" the cow, but to ensure that its carcass doesn't wind up beneath the train. At the very least it would stink up the train, but if a strong bone caught the tracks just right under one of the wheels, it could derail the train. Yes, I know - 60 tons of locomotive...
Speaking of which, here's a modern video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV_HnZi-9c0&feature=related). The deer makes it, but you can still see how low the cowcatcher sits above the railroad ties.
I think anyone who tried it would stand a good chance of dying.
In the meantime, for something really spectacular, check out this tornado derailment of a train, shot from a camera mounted in the engine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azV5bC2br-Q)!
Astronuc
Aug28-10, 08:14 PM
Does anyone know if it's survivable to lay in between the tracks? There's about 5-6 inches clearance from the base to the top of the rail (if it's at least 80 lbm/yd), and perhaps another 2 inches or so to clear the front of the locomotive or the motors.
One would have to lay flat and turn head sideways, and maybe exhale.
Freight cars have more clearance.
Some typical rail cross-sections from AREA
http://www.akrailroad.com/rail-sections
High tonnage lines might use 132-136 lbm/yd rail.
nismaratwork
Aug28-10, 09:43 PM
Does anyone know if it's survivable to lay in between the tracks?
Clearance aside, I think you end up pooping yourself to death! :surprised
Clearance aside, I think you end up pooping yourself to death! :surprised
Yikes, no kidding :eek:!
Does anyone know if it's survivable to lay in between the tracks?
I've seen reports of people surviving that way in the New York subway (underground/metro) after falling (or being pushed) off a station platform as a train was arriving. Of course, a subway train a few hundred feet long and already coming to a stop is one thing; a mile-long freight train at cruising speed (which could be 60-80 miles per hour out West) is another thing.
mugaliens
Aug30-10, 03:03 PM
One would have to lay flat and turn head sideways, and maybe exhale.
Yikes! And grow young, to perhaps 1 or 2 years old...
It's a deathmatch, folks - please, anyone reading this here do NOT try this, as you will not survive.
nismaratwork
Aug30-10, 06:11 PM
Yikes! And grow young, to perhaps 1 or 2 years old...
It's a deathmatch, folks - please, anyone reading this here do NOT try this, as you will not survive.
Yeah, definitely not something that anyone should attempt.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.