Chances of survival - train hitting car

I was lookin on the internet for news reports on the chances of a driver inside a car being hit by a train on the driver's side and surving when I found this forum. Can anyone tell me what is the slowest speed a train could be travelling to ensure the driver of the car survives the impact?

I am writing an essay on car accidents and need some facts. Thanks
B

Sorry, no way to answer your querry. People have survived, being hit at 60 mph (I did it, I know) and people have died at 10 mph. (again, I did it, I know) The variables involved, would plague a team of NASA engineers, for years, I imagine........................ Sorry!

Imagine every type of car and truck built, in the last 20 years. Imagine every type of locomotive, still in service, and the types of plows they use, on each locomotive. Take into consideration, every possible speed, for both trains, and vehichles. Imagine the degrees of intersection, of every single grade crossing, in the country. Take into account grade of railroad, and grade of roadway. Factor in whether the train was loads, or empties. Take into consideration, was train accelerating, coasting, or slowing, at time of impact. Then figure in, weather (wet or dry roads) Add in the side of car or truck being hit, and was a driver/passenger in the area of impact. Figure in seatbelt useage. Consider amount of fuel in vehicle, and did it ignite in crash. Factor in possibility of derailment, from the accident. Then, multiply all of these numbers, with each other. Take the final number, and discard it, as I have no idea what it would even represent!!!! The question you ask, has no answer. IF it did, we could eliminate grade crossing fatalities, tomorrow....................

Another factor is the age and condition of the driver in the vehicle. If all other factors were equal, a teenager in good shape would probably do better than your 89-year old Aunt Maud. But GA is right, there are too many variables to make a firm conclusion.

While riding the Test car down South, we whacked a passenger vehicle that ignored the activated crossing lights while the train was traveling @ 25 mph. Classic "T" bone. The snow plow & coupler penetrated the vehicle 8 inches in front of the "B" pillar. The driver suffered a Fractured Humerus (Upper Arm), Femur (upper Leg), and Skull. Due to the deformities in the rib cage I assume a few ribs too. The left side of his face was covered in rust from being pummeled against the coupler as the tires (now moving sideways) contacted each tie for 200 to 300 yards (it was a loaded 100 car coal train). The dammage to the passenger vehicle was moderate (I've seen worse from cars @ 60 mph). What did the dammage to the person was the tires engaging the ties for 200 + yards as the side of his head whacked the coupler at each tie.

Look at the thread about the high railer being kissed by an AEM 7, good pics...

If you are writing an essay on grade crossing safety, this would be an excellent place to start: http://www.operationlifesaver.org

You can also put in your script that no matter how much damage to the
car, the owner of the car and the actual operater of the car, even just the
slightest damage to locomotives and cars of the train is also the
responsibility of the driver of the car.
I once hit and totaled a brand new Ford, Mustang on the River Line in West
Nyack, New York. When we arrived in Selkirk, the mechanical foreman
had to do a full inspection of all the units. They found a broken sand pipe
and slightly bent grab iron and billed the car owner or whatever for the
full cost of the repairs. Adding insult to injury, the police on the scene
also issued violations in this case.
When around railroad tracks, treat them as though a train can come at
any time, they usually do too.
Noel Weaver

Noel, I know it's only a figure of speach, but "adding insult to injury" makes it SOUND like you sympathize with the motorist which I presume is not the case. The crew should have sued for a new set of Jockeys, and maybe a million or two apiece for emotional duress.

Aji-tater wrote:Noel, I know it's only a figure of speach, but "adding insult to injury" makes it SOUND like you sympathize with the motorist which I presume is not the case. The crew should have sued for a new set of Jockeys, and maybe a million or two apiece for emotional duress.

In the case that I sighted, there was no crossing near-by but it was very
close to the curve where the River Line crosses over I-87 (The New York
Thruway) less than a half mile north of CP-24.
There were four teen agers in the car having a little party where they
hoped that nobody would see them. Unfortunately, for them, they got
stuck in the gauge of the railroad track and they did not know how to
escape. I whistled for a crossing a half mile south and THANK GOD) they
heard the whistle and all bailed out of the car safely. I always whistled
long and hard for crossings, thankfully I did it in this case or four relatively
young lives would likely have been lost as the car was fully reduced to
scrap metal after it got hit.
The driver of the car was really upset because it was his father's brand
new car. I asked him how he thought his father would have felt if the four
of them had still been in the car when it was hit.
It was their fault but at least they did not go around the gates or through
a stop sign in this case.
Noel Weaver

Although I hope people will continue to reply a huge thanks to everyone who has. Can anyone who has driven a train and hit a car suggest the percentage of faltalities? Thanks B

Both Golden Arm & Noel Weaver "drive trains". I think they have given the best incite, from their first hand knowledge.

From an Mechanical Engineer standpoint it is simple physics
Momemtum is always preserved in a collision

m= Mass
v= Velocity

mtvt=mcvc

mt = mass of train, really really big
mc = mass of car, really really small

v = who cares the mass is so big that it does not matter.

Answer: Car loses!!

I think GA & NW would agree that the train does not even feel an impact, I heard about an engineer who braced for the impact, and was surprised that there was none.

I had to laugh thinking about the guys head who kept hitting the coupler every time he bounced over a tie.

A few years ago a Jeep Comanche had its tail hit by a train. The Jeep spun around and impacted a motorcyle that was just vacated by its owner. This caused the jeep to roll right onto its roof. Truck was still drivable, just not legally and the motorcycle was dead.