Say you saw someone fall onto a train track or a London tube track, which part is

Say you saw someone fall onto a train track or a London tube track, which part is live?

What can and can't be touched on a train track?
And an underground train track too?

Reply 1

455409

17

The third rail is live. On pretty much all railways other than the underground the power is not delivered from the rails at all but from overhead cables. You could technically touch any part of mainline railway tracks as no part of them carries power.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 2

Steezy

15

"Touch the third rail, make the pain your remedy"

Reply 3

kka25

18

Original post by james1211

The third rail is live. On pretty much all railways other than the underground the power is not delivered from the rails at all but from overhead cables. You could technically touch any part of mainline railway tracks as no part of them carries power.

I love the diagram; it explains the whole thing. It makes the post sexy too :sexface:

Reply 4

455409

17

Original post by kka25

I love the diagram; it explains the whole thing. It makes the post sexy too :sexface:

Reply 5

nexttime

22

Original post by james1211

The third rail is live. On pretty much all railways other than the underground the power is not delivered from the rails at all but from overhead cables. You could technically touch any part of mainline railway tracks as no part of them carries power.

Except London Underground tracks have 4 lines, of course. But yes its the furthest line that is live i believe.

Reply 6

455409

17

Original post by nexttime

Except London Underground tracks have 4 lines, of course. But yes its the furthest line that is live i believe.

True there's also a centre rail, but i think you need to touch both that and the outermost one to recieve a shock.

Reply 7

kka25

18

Original post by james1211

Ok; Ok. I'm sorry :tongue:

But diagrams and texts = :cool:

Reply 8

Kylewalker346234

12

Original post by james1211

True there's also a centre rail, but i think you need to touch both that and the outermost one to recieve a shock.

I love how you say a "shock". It ain't a 9V battery. It's 630v DC which would absolutely fry you :P

Reply 9

ipoop

5

Original post by kka25

I love the diagram; it explains the whole thing. It makes the post sexy too :sexface:

You need some therapy, sir :mmm:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

455409

17

Original post by ConnorB

I love how you say a "shock". It ain't a 9V battery. It's 630v DC which would absolutely fry you :P

A shock as in electric shock, not a fright!

Reply 11

Clip

19

Original post by ConnorB

I love how you say a "shock". It ain't a 9V battery. It's 630v DC which would absolutely fry you :P

At the School of Electronics, we used to say:

It's the volts that jolt, but the mills that kill.

Reply 12

username129099

15

Its pretty obvious which are the load bearing tracks as opposed to the live rails.

The rails with white tops are the live ones. I don't think you need to touch both, just one and something else be it another track or the ground.

Reply 13

psychstudent95

1

How about we don't go about touching any railway lines? Just a suggestion... :colondollar:

Reply 14

kka25

18

Original post by ipoop

You need some therapy, sir :mmm:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Spoiler

Reply 15

Jedicake

9

This reminds me of this advert. I'm not sure what the marketing team were thinking. (Or if it's even real...)

Reply 16

Tim2341

OP

10

Original post by psychstudent95

How about we don't go about touching any railway lines? Just a suggestion... :colondollar:

if you re-read the question, the scenario is when you need to help somebody and the point is which rail lines should be avoided. But If you were saying that for caring reasons then fine.

Reply 17

Tim2341

OP

10

Original post by james1211

True there's also a centre rail, but i think you need to touch both that and the outermost one to recieve a shock.

I thought what you said was that the power was delivered overhead? Excusez, if I'm missing a trick.

Reply 18

Tim2341

OP

10

Original post by nexttime

Except London Underground tracks have 4 lines, of course. But yes its the furthest line that is live i believe.

Do you know if the power is overhead or through the rail furthest?
Makes you think whether they put the furthest rail out for safety reasons?

Reply 19

nexttime

22

Original post by Tim2341

Do you know if the power is overhead or through the rail furthest?
Makes you think whether they put the furthest rail out for safety reasons?

Its definitely not overhead.

I think that is indeed the logic behind making it the furthest rail.

Say you saw someone fall onto a train track or a London tube track, which part is

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