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 Replies: 35 / Views: 23,834 |
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Valued Member
United States
109 Posts |
I have had this Wheat penny for some time and have no idea how it ended up this mangled. Train perhaps? The last picture is the coin under a normal penny to show how flat it is.    |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Quote:
What if you cause the train to derail Once, I was on a commuter train, where the back of the train is pushed by the engine. And I was on the last car, watching the train approach @ 80mph a large truck wheel, placed across both rails. Aside from a loud noise, nothing happened. I put pennies on the track as a kid too. They looked like coppery potato chips. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
even if you duct tape the coins to the track the chances are pretty small you will find the coins. My luck would be the train smash the coin with the duct tape and the tape get stuck to the wheel. When we did this as a kid we had better luck finding them with just the engine going over them (not pulling any or very few cars). We would also walk the tracks allot (I think its illegal to do now, but we did it all the time back then) and would fine either ours or someones laying on the rocks as we would walk them
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Pillar of the Community
United States
507 Posts |
I lived next to train tracks a few years ago and flattened some coins. I probably only recovered 1/4 - 1/3 of what I set out. They are not that impressive. Think of a novelty pressed penny, but without the novelty. . . Yes, the tracks belong to the railroad, so it's technically trespassing to walk along them. Whether they'll give you a hard time or not I'm sure depends on the circumstances. I've heard people claim you can derail a train with a coin, but that's just absurd. Here is a picture of one, can't find the others at the moment. . .  |
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New Member
United States
38 Posts |
I remember when I was younger, my parents would tell me I would derail the train if I put pennies on the track! (ps it doesn't)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1840 Posts |
Somewhere in my collection I have a cent and a nickel that I crushed with an oncoming commuter train when I was a kid. The train was pulling into the station so it was going slow. I stood nearby and remember actually hearing the clicking sound as the train ran over my coins. I wish I could remember where I put those coins...
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
wheatiefan-
that's one way to improve the appearance of a zincoln.
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
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I've heard people claim you can derail a train with a coin, but that's just absurd. The rumor I heard is that if you put a cent in front of and behind each wheel (right up against it) of a stopped train, they act as a steep incline, and it won't move. The explanation is that this is why a stopped train backs up first, to allow a couple inches of slack before having to move each new car. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
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The rumor I heard is that if you put a cent in front of and behind each wheel (right up against it) of a stopped train, they act as a steep incline, and it won't move.
The explanation is that this is why a stopped train backs up first, to allow a couple inches of slack before having to move each new car.
Sure wish a train expert was around here for that one.  I live in a place where several frieght trains go in several directions. Also, several commuter trains going in several directions. Now retired but used to take them every day. In the train yards, not far away, all sorts of STUFF gets on the tracks and not much stops them. Not even the idiots that get their cars or trucks on the tracks. Not sure why I don't put some coins on them now. Neighbor a few houses from me works in the yards so I'll ask him. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3540 Posts |
Regardless if the locomotive is AC or DC propulsion, the locomotive consist should never have to back up to get a run at it. Only exception to this might be ice or wet track. But, locomotives have sanders that spit a little sand in front of the wheels to aid in traction. Yes, it IS possible for a locomotive to "wheel hop" in low traction or high traction/high load conditions.
Locomotive wheel is not flat. There is actually a slight taper to the wheel from inside at rim tapering to the outside. Properly maintained track is actually and inverted "U" shape. Approximately 1" of the wheel is in contact with the track.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
802 Posts |
I'm not sure if anyone said this already, but I've done this successful as a kid. At first we lost about 50 cents trying it throughout the weeks, then we had an idea... We used a bunch of duct tape and it stayed put, and that was the end of that. I'd try duct tape :) It worked for me!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Why not just hold it with your fingers? Then it couldn't get lost. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
Oh you guys!
Hang on for a few hours and I'll have some answers for you.
My husband has been working in the rail industry for 17 years. He's and engineer but not the kind that drives the train. He worked on the development of the lubrication system which saves on fuel.
I am pretty sure that the reason the tracks look shiny is because they are frequently subjected to a grinding machine which does just what you think it would do to make sure the rails are true and safe.
I don't think a penny could cause a derailment. There is very little that will stop a train. When you see pictures of an accident and the train appears to have been stopped by a car parked on the tracks -- well, it wasn't. The engineer tried to stop and almost made it, or that picture was taken about a mile from impact.
He's in a meeting with a bunch of other rail pros so I'll text him and try to get some answers.
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
It took longer than I expected to hear from him but here's the info.
The rail is flat, the portion of the wheel that rides the rail is actually "V" shaped and it will lean inward a bit so the pennies will shoot out away from the train. He thinks they could go 8 to 10 feet but that they could also get caught up and go for a full revolution and it could be 30 or 40 feet before they get pitched away from the train.
He says that the engine cars weigh between 280,000 and 360,000 pounds and is pretty sure that a penny will not cause a derailment but a half dollar....well, that's just wasting money. LOL
I was kind of surprised. I thought that they might fly out a bit farther than 10 feet but he didn't think so. So there you have it.
Have fun.
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
Grandpa had coal and grain trains run through his property, so I fiddled around flattening a few cents.
When I was a teen, I tested out coins vs a steamroller. I'll let you guess what happened.
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Replies: 35 / Views: 23,834 |
First Page
Posted 01/08/2012 6:28 pm
