Cow in collision with train

[Adrian]

You have poo electric trains and bendy track.  We have HSTs and Brunel's billiard table.

Can you also still stick your head out of the window on the HST? That small avenue of pleasure is now lost on Southern

[rogerzilla]

You can in the vestibule area.  Don't do it when the train is braking for a station though; HST disc brakes smell awful.  They claimed to have fixed that a few years ago, but they didn't.

[rower40]

You can in the vestibule area.  Don't do it when the train is braking for a station though; HST disc brakes smell awful.  They claimed to have fixed that a few years ago, but they didn't.

It also lowers the top speed and increases the train's fuel consumption.  The aerodynamics of the Mk3 coach would be splendid if it weren't for open windows.  Rumour on the street is that the Mk3 upgrade is going to have power-operated doors, rather than windows that you have to open because the only door-handle is on the outside.

[rogerzilla]

Rumour on the street

ITYM "rumour among the anoraks on Platform 5 at Crewe" 

[Kim]

...or uk.railway, which is a slightly less freezing cold version of the same.

[Feline]

Well personally I hope the cow didn't suffer. No laughing matter IMHO 

[rogerzilla]

At 128mph, I doubt the cow knows it's dead.

[Feline]

There were other cows there too who may have been injured. Whoever left a gate open or poorly maintained their fencing should feel very bad. If you were to collide with a cow loose on a road in your car then it is quite likely you would be injured or killed.

[rogerzilla]

Who's responsible for railside fencing?  Is it Network Rail or the farmer?

[Wowbagger]

NERDS!

And I haven't even STARTED yet...

Here we go! 

I thought it was just one cow, not a nerd.

[Feline]

The farmer is always responsible for the boundaries that contain his or her livestock I believe. Often though it is idiots leaving gates open (e.g on public footpath routes) that cause escapes. It's actually very dangerous for all of us when it occurs. A whole herd on the line could have derailed the train with tragic consequences.

[Jaded]

The farmer is always responsible for the boundaries that contain his or her livestock I believe. Often though it is idiots leaving gates open (e.g on public footpath routes) that cause escapes. It's actually very dangerous for all of us when it occurs. A whole herd on the line could have derailed the train with tragic consequences.

As in Edinburgh to Glasgow about 25 years ago.

Wanders off to check.

[Jaded]

Polmont


Polmont rail crash, 30 July 1984; 13 killed, 44 injured: leading DBSO of Edinburgh to Glasgow train hit stray cow on line, total train derailed


Although I think this was affected badly by the fact that the rule to have the locomotive at the front of trains travelling over a certain speed had been relaxed previously, so the front of the train was derailed but the weight of the train was concentrated at the back.

[Andrew Br]

Although I think this was affected badly by the fact that the rule to have the locomotive at the front of trains travelling over a certain speed had been relaxed previously, so the front of the train was derailed but the weight of the train was concentrated at the back.

Also, have you ever tried pushing a toy train ?
Each bit wants to go in a different direction.
Locomotive at the back always worries me.

[1gear]

There were other cows there too who may have been injured.

Dont worry, they would have soon been shot probably.
I wonder which has got the meat. Mc D's or Burger King

[Feline]

There were other cows there too who may have been injured.

Dont worry, they would have soon been shot probably.
I wonder which has got the meat. Mc D's or Burger King

Cows injured in an accident can and do suffer the same amount of pain, fear and distress as any human. I am a veterinary surgeon, but even if I wasn't I have good reason to express concern for the animals involved in this. I'm glad you find it so amusing, as I pointed out above I do not.

[mattc]

The farmer is always responsible for the boundaries that contain his or her livestock I believe. Often though it is idiots leaving gates open (e.g on public footpath routes) that cause escapes. It's actually very dangerous for all of us when it occurs.

I often feel a bit of a fool, robotically closing gates after me for no apparent reason - it's quite nice to know that I might be doing some good!

[robbo6]

The farmer is always responsible for the boundaries that contain his or her livestock I believe. Often though it is idiots leaving gates open (e.g on public footpath routes) that cause escapes. It's actually very dangerous for all of us when it occurs. A whole herd on the line could have derailed the train with tragic consequences.

But the railways are one exception to this. On the insistence of the landowners, the acts of parliament railways were built under specified that the tracks must be fenced, with the exception of "Light Railways" like the Central Wales line, the only one I can think of that is still open.

[Gandalf]

There were other cows there too who may have been injured.

Dont worry, they would have soon been shot probably.
I wonder which has got the meat. Mc D's or Burger King

Cows injured in an accident can and do suffer the same amount of pain, fear and distress as any human. I am a veterinary surgeon, but even if I wasn't I have good reason to express concern for the animals involved in this. I'm glad you find it so amusing, as I pointed out above I do not.

Yes but it's 'only' a cow and therefore casually expendable.

[rower40]

Polmont


Polmont rail crash, 30 July 1984; 13 killed, 44 injured: leading DBSO of Edinburgh to Glasgow train hit stray cow on line, total train derailed


Although I think this was affected badly by the fact that the rule to have the locomotive at the front of trains travelling over a certain speed had been relaxed previously, so the front of the train was derailed but the weight of the train was concentrated at the back.

After that, extra weight was added to the leading bogie of the Driving Trailers.