Can you survive train strike?

Modern trains have lots of stuff underneath. Motors, gearboxes, big boxes of power electronics, etc, etc. There is very little spare room under many trains, and chances are something will grab you and bundle you up into a disorganised mess of broken limbs. You probably won't die straight away, it'll take a while.



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Be standing between the rails and get struck from behind by a fast moving train...you might bounce clear and your body will be spared the mangling, but the effect would be a lot like getting hit in the back of the head with a sledghammer...you might have a brief flash of pain, but then it would be lights out.

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The only safe place to cross railroad tracks is at a designated public crossing. Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. A second train might be blocked by the first. Trains can come from either direction.

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What happens if you stand too close to a train? Air between person and the train moves with high velocity due to dragging effect and the air behind person is approximately still.

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The middle of the train is by far the safest for persons. The National Transportation Safety Board does not release comprehensive data on where victims were sitting during fatal train accidents, though some details are available in individual investigative reports.

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That's because the noise a train makes is mainly projected to either side. When trains are moving directly towards you they are barely audible–until it's too late.” He adds: “It's surprisingly easy to overload the brain to the point where it can't triangulate where sound is coming from.”

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The following strategies can help you avoid or lessen motion sickness.
  1. Sit in the front of a car or bus.
  2. Choose a window seat on flights and trains.
  3. If possible, try lying down, shutting your eyes, sleeping, or looking at the horizon.
  4. Stay hydrated by drinking water. ...
  5. Eat small amounts of food frequently.
  6. Avoid smoking.


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The metaphor comes from the high-voltage third rail in some electric railway systems. This third rail, used to power trains, usually results in the death by electrocution of anyone who comes into direct contact with it.

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This is why birds do not die from landing on power lines, and subway rats do not get electrocuted even if they run across the third rail; they are not bridging the energized wire or rail to a grounded part of the structure.

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A penny left on the tracks is too small to derail a train. Don't try this out, though, as many people have been killed in the attempt. Public domain image, source: U.S. Farm Security Administration.

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In 2022, there were more than 1,000 train derailments in the U.S. There were at least 1,164 train derailments across the country last year, according to data from the Federal Railroad Administration. That means the country is averaging roughly three derailments per day.

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