Rail Lines

[Captain Planet]

So random but lets say someone falls onto the tracks at a train stn, if they hit the rail will they be electrocuted?

Google isn't helping me here?

Just saw a lil kid running at a platform and I want to be equipped with the knowledge of how to deal with such a situation if the kid fell onto the track.

[Guest TRAGEDY]

Yes

[The Somalian]

think the majority are

was reading in the paper last month about this kid who moved over here from Pakistan got electrocuted because he put his head to the rail to check if the train was close

[Da Luv Doc]

South London lines, you will if you touch the third rail. Tube lines, you will if you touch the third and forth rail. North of the river, you wont as most are either pantograph wires or diesel trains.

[Woodpecker]

depends

 

its always good to imagine the black rail is live

[dub]

If there are cables overhead you're probably safe on the tracks.

If not, then there's usually 1 live track (accompanying the 2 main tracks). Usually the live one has an indication on it that it's live.

[Captain Planet]

Seriously thanks guys

[J. Edgar]

You could always use a voltmeter to check.

[Badman]

One thing people dont always know is that the electricity on the overhead lines is different to the electricity on the live tracks in terms of its polarity. One attracts while the other repels 

 

iirc if you fall onto the tracks and touch the live rail it will attract you like a magnet so you are more or less fucked 

 

whereas if you touch the overhead rails it will shock you but then repel you so you will probably send you flying

 

Mind you I did learn this in primary school so may not be accurate/true 

[Lens]

With live rails (which tend to not have overhead wires, such as the London Underground, or any train with no wire above), there is 1 positive and 1 negative.

 

1 rail alone cannot complete a circuit, so if You have both feet on 1 rail, electricity cannot pass through You by that means.

 

But put 1 foot on each rail, and You're getting the voltage.

 

Put 1 foot on one rail and the ground, and You're getting the voltage. 

[Da Luv Doc]

With live rails (which tend to not have overhead wires, such as the London Underground, or any train with no wire above), there is 1 positive and 1 negative.

 

1 rail alone cannot complete a circuit, so if You have both feet on 1 rail, electricity cannot pass through You by that means.

 

But put 1 foot on each rail, and You're getting the voltage.

 

Put 1 foot on one rail and the ground, and You're getting the voltage. 

 

This is only true for the underground, national rail have a 3rd rail only.

 

4th rail are only on national rail lines where both the sub terrain underground trains share lines with national rail, like London overground from Richmond to a few stops eastbound.

[dub]

didn't know there were 2 live rails on the underground, just google'd and seen 4 rails is uncommon

[Da Luv Doc]

Yeah all London Underground lines have 4 rails.

[YFSD]

One thing people dont always know is that the electricity on the overhead lines is different to the electricity on the live tracks in terms of its polarity. One attracts while the other repels

iirc if you fall onto the tracks and touch the live rail it will attract you like a magnet so you are more or less f*cked

whereas if you touch the overhead rails it will shock you but then repel you so you will probably send you flying

Mind you I did learn this in primary school so may not be accurate/true

Yeah not the quite true. It would not magnetise you, what you're talking about is when you get shocked it makes you muscles tense so you can't move.

Why they say that you should separate them with a wooden stick if poss

[Mizchif]

Lots of misinformation in here, don't take any advice from this thread seriously children. Stay away from all the rails

[Fresh]

With live rails (which tend to not have overhead wires, such as the London Underground, or any train with no wire above), there is 1 positive and 1 negative.

 

1 rail alone cannot complete a circuit, so if You have both feet on 1 rail, electricity cannot pass through You by that means.

 

But put 1 foot on each rail, and You're getting the voltage.

 

Put 1 foot on one rail and the ground, and You're getting the voltage. 

 

Electricity can jump the distance

[Guest TRAGEDY]

Lots of misinformation in here, don't take any advice from this thread seriously children. Stay away from all the rails

Trust