Just noticed when going along on the Acela that theirs houses and stuff close by and no fencing on the route, just wondering if it’s crazy like that in real life.
Probably. I live near a busy section of track with frequent commuter, freight and some Amtrak traffic. None of it is fenced. This is typical of US railroads. I guess we don't feel the need to be protected against our own stupidity. Besides, with over 250,000 km of track, fencing it in would be prohibitively expensive.
I'd imagine that maybe they've got a backyard fence so no one's kid starts trying to pick up a ball on that tracks. If not, I presume they just said "Life's a Lottery, Get Lucky." While planning the track.
Of course these days The Railway Children would probably contravene the UK Health and Safety regulations. Ms Nesbit would have to relocate the story to the US where we're not nearly so fussy about such things.
When the world was first building railroads, the US was still a pretty new country with not as many resources as Europe. Fences didn't make the cut. It's why our trains make so much noise; I guess we're just used to it by now
skipping ahead about 150 years you think you would have had a shake of common sense and fenced up a relatively new 150mph section of track from near by houses if it’s just fences aint the thing, theirs always concrete
I guess this is where natural selection comes into play. Sadly, if your average American homosapien manages to avoid wandering on to a 150 mph electrified railway line, the 2nd amendment makes sure there are other options for an early demise.
I I noticed too when playing UK routes vs US fencing just about everywhere even out in rural areas in US however all the major interstate highways and roads similar have fencing
Another factor is that the railway operator does not want the two hour plus disruption every other day when someone gets struck by a train and the trauma caused to the driver/engineer and other rail staff involved with clearing it up. So while the palisade fencing in the UK which we moan about looking unsightly probably has and does save lives, at least from casual trespass.
That's rich coming from the US, lol. You mean like literally in every other country with high speed rail?
they do need to build the safety proportionate to what they build…, they don’t need to do 260,000km, they do what they do to meet their number they have a smaller economy but have smaller to work with, the US the same but has a larger economy and more to work with. resources isn’t the problem could always use wood regardless, and it wouldn’t be needed for the full 260,000 km
Slightly off at a tangent, but watching random cab ride videos on You Tube, quite surprised how many European railways have started fencing off their rights of way, particularly in towns and cities. Watched a Swedish one a while back, heading out of Gavle or Uppsala towards Mora and quite lengthy sections were fenced in.
. No… as young children, we are taught not to play on the tracks… nearing 70 now, but as a 3 to 4 year old lived near a railroad line, still remember the day my Dad “re-enforced” his directions not to go near the tracks.
