My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
lines coming down.

It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.

How many fatalities are there each year on parts of the network
powered by live rails as opposed to OHLs?

Rgds
Ed

"Ed"  wrote in message 
news:074b42b3-f499-4367-9c1d-ebc61614406b@i76g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> lines coming down.
>
> It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.
>
> How many fatalities are there each year on parts of the network
> powered by live rails as opposed to OHLs?
>
> Rgds
> Ed



I prefer "Southern's" live rail system for aesthetic reasons.

I think there are very few "work" accidents with the third rail, but 
relatively more accidents resulting from stupidity, misuse, and folly. I 
have heard that OHL kills innocent people too particularly through arcing in 
damp weather.

I understand the problem with Southern's 750V DC third rail is it limits the 
power that can be delivered and the speed possible due to heat in the 
collector shows.

25KV AC, is I understand, also relatively more efficient at transmission 
than 750V DC.

They'd be re rubbing their beards with glee over in the railway newsgroups 
at this thread!

On Jul 2, 12:04 pm, "Light of Aria" 
wrote:
> "Ed"  wrote in message
>
> news:074b42b3-f499-4367-9c1d-ebc61614406b@i76g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> > lines coming down.
>
> > It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> > happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.
>
> > How many fatalities are there each year on parts of the network
> > powered by live rails as opposed to OHLs?
>
> > Rgds
> > Ed
>
> I prefer "Southern's" live rail system for aesthetic reasons.
>
> I think there are very few "work" accidents with the third rail, but
> relatively more accidents resulting from stupidity, misuse, and folly. I
> have heard that OHL kills innocent people too particularly through arcing in
> damp weather.
>
> I understand the problem with Southern's 750V DC third rail is it limits the
> power that can be delivered and the speed possible due to heat in the
> collector shows.
>
> 25KV AC, is I understand, also relatively more efficient at transmission
> than 750V DC.
>
> They'd be re rubbing their beards with glee over in the railway newsgroups
> at this thread!

I posted it on uk.railway but no-one has been so kind as to even reply
yet. Perhaps they think I'm a troll asking about such dreadful things
happening to the wonderful navvies!

> They'd be re rubbing their beards with glee over in the railway newsgroups
> at this thread!

I posted it on uk.railway but no-one has been so kind as to even reply
yet. Perhaps they think I'm a troll asking about such dreadful things
happening to the wonderful navvies!


<<<


Miserable sods: They'd wet themselves if you dared to criticise "Revenue 
Protection Fuhrers". ;-)

On Jul 2, 12:17 pm, "Light of Aria" 
wrote:
> > They'd be re rubbing their beards with glee over in the railway newsgroups
> > at this thread!
>
> I posted it on uk.railway but no-one has been so kind as to even reply
> yet. Perhaps they think I'm a troll asking about such dreadful things
> happening to the wonderful navvies!
>
> <<<
>
> Miserable sods: They'd wet themselves if you dared to criticise "Revenue
> Protection Fuhrers". ;-)

It's theft innit!

On Jul 2, 12:17 pm, "Light of Aria" 
wrote:
> > They'd be re rubbing their beards with glee over in the railway newsgroups
> > at this thread!
>
> I posted it on uk.railway but no-one has been so kind as to even reply
> yet. Perhaps they think I'm a troll asking about such dreadful things
> happening to the wonderful navvies!
>
> <<<
>
> Miserable sods: They'd wet themselves if you dared to criticise "Revenue
> Protection Fuhrers". ;-)

First anorak de-lurks...
http://groups.google.com/group/uk.railway/browse_frm/thread/a4592bd5ec00d501?hl=en#

"Ed"  wrote in message 
news:074b42b3-f499-4367-9c1d-ebc61614406b@i76g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> lines coming down.
>
> It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.
>
> How many fatalities are there each year on parts of the network
> powered by live rails as opposed to OHLs?
>

I don't have numbers to sway the argument either way, from the viewpoint of 
someone who works on the railway I won't go near an area with a 3rd rail ;-) 
It's bad enough standing under the OHL whilst the buzz crackle and pop in 
bad weather, but I'd not want to be anywhere near a live rail. I now won't 
work under OHL either, but I'm just an awkward bugger.

On Jul 2, 12:45 pm, "GS"  wrote:
> "Ed"  wrote in message
>
> news:074b42b3-f499-4367-9c1d-ebc61614406b@i76g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> > lines coming down.
>
> > It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> > happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.
>
> > How many fatalities are there each year on parts of the network
> > powered by live rails as opposed to OHLs?
>
> I don't have numbers to sway the argument either way, from the viewpoint of
> someone who works on the railway I won't go near an area with a 3rd rail > It's bad enough standing under the OHL whilst the buzz crackle and pop in
> bad weather, but I'd not want to be anywhere near a live rail. I now won't
> work under OHL either, but I'm just an awkward bugger.

Funny you should mention that. i get a small electric shock holding my
brolly up on the platform when its wet. There's a small screw in the
handle that obviously connects to the main shaft of the brolly

Ed wrote:
> My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> lines coming down.
>
> It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.

Is this the East Coast Mainline (Kings Cross to Edinburgh)? It was famously 
done on the cheap, which is why the knitting keep falling down.

On Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:16:37 -0700, Ed wrote:

> My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> lines coming down.
> 
> It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.

At least you weren't on this train:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XgCPPeYmyKw

In theory, overhead should be more "green" because of the AC vs DC losses 
on 3rd rail/overhead power between power connections.

On 2 Jul, 13:46, Ar  wrote:
> On Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:16:37 -0700, Ed wrote:
> > My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> > lines coming down.
>
> > It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> > happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.
>
> At least you weren't on this train:http://youtube.com/watch?v=XgCPPeYmyKw
>
> In theory, overhead should be more "green" because of the AC vs DC losses
> on 3rd rail/overhead power between power connections.

You can also go faster with overhead wires.

I would doubt there's much difference as most deaths seem to involve
some idiot with a death wish behaving like a pratt and a few feet of
thin air only seems to encourage them rather than otherwise.

Wildlife deaths are probably much less as they do seem to have a sixth
sense, indeed more sense. Last year near my local station some crows
built their nest in the overhead catenary and a successful brood was
the result despite the high speed trains just a few feet below – what
an introduction to the World.

Here in Birmingham, there’s a true story that’s entered pub folk law
of how a poor chap walking home from the pub, somewhat worse for wear,
decided to take a leak from the parapet of a railway over bridge
directly onto the tracks and unfortunately directly onto the 25KV
overhead wires – instant death on the tallywacker barbecue.

In article <074b42b3-f499-4367-9c1d-
ebc61614406b@i76g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>, eabowden@onetel.com says...
> 
> My trains were totally FUBAR last night thanks to the overhead power
> lines coming down.
> 
> It does seem to be a piss poor way to power a railway, this is always
> happening, especially in winter when it gets a bit windy.
> 
> How many fatalities are there each year on parts of the network
> powered by live rails as opposed to OHLs?

On a similar note, I think it was Jeremy Clarkson who said that in cases where 
someone gets run over on the motorway or rail track, rather than close it off, 
do as you would do with a pigeon and just keep everything moving so it soon 
becomes a blur and everyone can get on with their day.
-- 

Dom Robinson	  Gamertag: DVDfever      email: dom at dvdfever dot co dot uk
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