Train Blows Away Person: Is It True?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of whether a fast train (approximately 150 km/h) with a flat-headed locomotive can blow a person away due to the air it pushes in front of it, rather than directly hitting them. The conversation explores both theoretical and experimental aspects of this scenario.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the phenomenon could be tested experimentally, possibly using a dummy to simulate the situation.
  • One participant references historical accounts of air resistance experienced by individuals on trains, suggesting that air movement could indeed be significant.
  • Another participant argues against the idea, stating that it is not true that a person would be blown away, comparing the situation to buses, which also have flat fronts.
  • A participant questions the role of fluid mechanics and the shape of the boundary layer in determining the effects of air displacement by the train.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether a person could be blown away by the air pushed by a train, with no consensus reached on the validity of the claim.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes references to historical anecdotes and the need for experimental validation, highlighting the complexity of the topic and the influence of various factors such as train design and speed.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in fluid dynamics, experimental physics, or historical accounts related to trains and air resistance may find this discussion relevant.

willkoh
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Is it true that a somewhat fast (say 150 km/h) train with a flat-headed locomotive pushes so much air in front of it that a person on the track would not (at first) be hit but blown away?
 
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Looks to me like a problem crying out for experimental evidence!
 
HallsofIvy said:
Looks to me like a problem crying out for experimental evidence!
Using a dummy of course. The difficulty might be in finding a flat headed train that can go 150 km/hr (about 90 mph)

AM
 
willkoh said:
Is it true that a somewhat fast (say 150 km/h) train with a flat-headed locomotive pushes so much air in front of it that a person on the track would not (at first) be hit but blown away?
What I DO know, is that the goy who did the Great Train Robbery (in the 1880's, I think), had seriously underestimated the air resistance when crawling on top of the train. He was almost, but not quite, blown off the train, and his clothes and face were drenched in soot.
All this from Michael Crichton's account of one of the most daring robberies done in history. :smile:
 
willkoh said:
Is it true that a somewhat fast (say 150 km/h) train with a flat-headed locomotive pushes so much air in front of it that a person on the track would not (at first) be hit but blown away?
No. It isn't. Buses are also flat-headed. Now think of the movie Final Destination
 
Last edited:
Andrew Mason said:
Using a dummy of course. The difficulty might be in finding a flat headed train that can go 150 km/hr (about 90 mph)

AM
Well, he would have to be a dummy to volunteer!
 
Any experts in fluid mechanics here? i guess it would have to depend on the shape of the boundary layer.
 
HallsofIvy said:
Well, he would have to be a dummy to volunteer!

I have never seen this side of you Halls, :smile:
 

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