Many visitors think it is safe to be near tracks so long as they are not standing on the tracks. It may surprise you to learn just how far railway equipment can extend past the edge of the rail. Nearly all the equipment that runs on the Museum’s historic line overhangs the rail width, some more than others.
A tape measure showing the distance between the center of the rail and the edge of the platform that runs along the outside of the Railway Education Center building.
Have you ever seen the viral video of a “train conductor kicking a man in the head”? If you look at it frame by frame, you might notice that just behind the railway worker’s heel is a metal bar: one of the handrails used to climb aboard the engine. There is likely another handrail closer to the cab of the locomotive that sticks out even further. Between the two options, a boot to the head is much less traumatic than a steel bar.
What about standing on the boardwalk? The Museum’s Railway History Campus platforms are only 28 inches from the center of the nearest rail. This is the minimum amount of clearance required to prevent hardware mounted beneath the cars like steps and generators from hitting the platform. If the undercarriage on railway equipment can potentially stick out that far, what about parts that are higher up on the equipment? Steam locomotive 924’s cab handrails stick out 38 inches from the center of the rail. That is nearly a foot past the edge of the deck. The sight of the handrails visibly extending into the space above Railway Education Center’s deck platform was the inspiration for this post.
Note the handrail sticking out past the edge of locomotive 924. Handrails like this helped crews get on the locomotive in the past, but can be a hazard if ignored.
This is one of many reasons to stay a safe distance from train tracks. Always stop at least 15 feet away, as recommended by Operation Lifesaver, and always expect a train at any time from any direction!
