"It seems to be one of those mad pub ideas"

http://www.policeoracle.com/news/6-D...ted_20957.html

http://www.policeoracle.com/news/Files/file20957.jpg

Train buffs are facing jail after building their own ramshackle locomotive and taking it on the public rail network.

The six-seater train - made out of garden furniture and salvaged train parts - was powered by an electric motor and even had its own refreshments car in the shape of a crate of beer.

Police in Erfut, Germany, were alerted after residents of properties adjoining the railway spotted the unorthodox vehicle - and were aware that there should have been no traffic running.

Police however had to call in a helicopter to find and follow the makeshift train as the police cars could not follow it along the tracks.

The helicopter pilot was able to radio ahead to other officers who set up a makeshift barrier at a station to stop it.

Railway bosses had been asked to suspend all services to avoid a collision although the train buffs had chosen to have their drive when there had been no trains scheduled.

"It seems to be one of those mad pub ideas that actually happened. They didn't seem to realise they could have caused a serious accident if they'd got anywhere near a real train," said one officer.

Six men who were arrested on the unauthorised vehicle are currently facing public safety charges.

Most pub ideas don't require that much effort. Looks like fun, actually.

Fun in an amusement park, yes.

Not on the public transport system.

It'd be pretty amusing to be sitting at a railroad crossing expecting a freight train only to see those guys roll by.

It's quite dangerous, they were putting their lives on the line when they did this. I suspect they'll be arrested and coached in public safety but it should bring them all back on track.

I wonder, though, how was this not reported earlier? Surely their families would have railed at them for even coming up with something like this? Well, I hope they do, once they've let off some steam.

You think their mothers would train them in not being stupid. Who knows why they did it, they must have thought i was fun or something... Most of us would say it would be crazy to do something like that... I dont think we will understand their locomotive behind the whole scheme....

Maybe they were fully aware of the danger but decided that they simply choo choo choose to do it anyway.

I wonder who the conductor of this experiment was... I would be a-freight to hang out with them...

Your puns are right on track.

i am quite proud of myself. I thought my puns were awesome.

They guys that went to jail are probably going to get coal for Christmas bc their spouses will be bailing them out

I didn't rail-ly think that anyone would be able to tie a pun to this track, but it looks like people engineered some real stinkers, so I'll add one:

As crazy as this stunt was, it is clear that these people had a real loco motive.

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Originally Posted by dclamp

Most of us would say it would be crazy to do something like that... I dont think we will understand their locomotive behind the whole scheme....

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

As crazy as this stunt was, it is clear that these people had a real loco motive.

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Fail

Guess I didn't read back far enough. I actually missed a couple posts in there. Fortunately, I went for the variety, just in case one didn't track so well, though I didn't think it would be you who piston my gaffe.

If the mini locomotive those guys made had a way of quickly exiting the tracks it wouldn't be as dangerous but you'd still end up in jail if caught. Imagine if you tried to run the rails that one of those high speed trains use. By the time you saw it coming it would be too late.

Especially if you had made extensive use of the "beverage car" that was mentioned in the article.

There are a few groups out there of what they call "speeder enthusiasts." Guys who purchase and restore old track speeders once used for railroad maintenance. They frequently hold excursions on abandoned or little-used rail lines.

http://www.greatlakesrailcars.org/im...r_may08_10.jpg

Of course these folks are smart enough to get permission to use the tracks ahead of time...

The guy in the red speeder must get tired of always coming in 2nd place.

mendhak is on a roll.

A similar contraption is used here in India by the railways to inspect the tracks. The vehicle is pushed by hand and can seat around 2 people, can carry essential tools required to repair the track.

Most small stations in India have these. Whenever a high speed railway train is due, the vehicle is pushed out and the tracks between two stations inspected.

I believe this was invented by the British.....

There's another bunch of guys that like to play with things on rails. They have a bigger budget so their toys tend to be bigger and faster.

Test sets world land speed record

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4/30/2003 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- A 192-pound, fully instrumented Missile Defense Agency payload traveled a little more than three miles in 6.04 seconds April 29, validating Holloman's high-speed test track hypersonic upgrades and setting a world land speed record.

Air Force Materiel Command experts conducted the test in New Mexico's Tularosa Basin where Air Force officials witnessed a four-stage, rail-bound rocket sled reach Mach 8.5 or 6,416 mph. That equates to more than 31 football fields per second.

The sled broke the standing world land speed record of Mach 8.1 for travel on rails, also set here in October 1982.

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Reaching Mach 8.5 near sea level isn't easy. Doing that at high altitudes where the air is much thinner is a lot easier but the force from air resistance when going Mach 8.5 must be enormous near sea level.

I would think that dealing with the compression of the air between the fuselage and the ground would be a bigger problem than the air density alone.

I wonder what speed the same rocket accelerating the same mass for the same duration would achieve if it was in a vacuum or in outer space. It does look like a rather streamlined design but do you think it would get to twice the speed or more?

Imagine a rocket sled like that in an enclosed air tight tunnel with the air pumped out going from sea to sea in the US. It could make pretty good time going across the country. If you were on board the initial acceleration might kill you though. I know the top fuel dragsters can go 0 to 300 mph in 5 sec. Imagine going 0 to 6,416 mph in 6 seconds. That would be a lot of g-force.

I often wondered how many g's you pulled in the puke-o-tron's found in county fairs and theme parks. Probably something minor, but it sure doesn't feel that way.

Somewhat related, but the sheer irony is notable...

http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/...storyid=120113

(Bonus: photos of the murder mystery train)

Man killed by dinner train in southwest Florida

http://www.wtsp.com/genthumb/genthum...rain-death.jpg

North Fort Myers, Florida - The Lee County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate how a man ended up being struck by a train Monday night in North Fort Myers.

The man, who has not been identified by authorities, was struck and killed by a Murder Mystery Dinner Train around 9:15 p.m.

Investigators are still looking into how the man died and why he was laying on the tracks.

The dinner train was heading south on the Seminole Gulf Railway toward Fort Myers, Schall said. "There was a male laying on the tracks for whatever reason, and he was run over," he said.

A deputy on the scene said it appeared the man was alive and perhaps fell asleep on the tracks about a half mile north of Slater Road. "It's quite a ways to walk off the beaten path," Schall said.

He said it's too early to speculate why the man was on the tracks.

Passengers on the rail had paid $75 for a scenic train ride to a boat cruise in Punta Gorda and a five-course dinner. The journey was delayed by two hours due to the crash.

A death investigation is under way. No further details were available.

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The journey was delayed by two hours due to the crash.

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They refer to the train running over a man as a crash?

Why should you never race a train to the crossing?

Because if it's a tie you lose.