# Woman dies from sticking head out train window in England.



## Steve4031 (Dec 4, 2018)

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/car-rental-and-rail/woman-dies-from-leaning-out-of-train-window.html

this happened st night.  It was not railfan activity.


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## cpotisch (Dec 4, 2018)

This is obviously horrible, but I have to say that it really is not the best idea to stick your head out the window of a moving train. :unsure:


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## jis (Dec 4, 2018)

This is not the first time this has happened. There was a similar report a couple of years back.

Incidentally, the train shown in the photo is not a particularly high speed one, and moreover, it is not possible to stick your head out any window of that train either.


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## AKA (Dec 4, 2018)

How far out of the window would you have to get  ?   How much clearance is there between trains  ?  If in fact she was hit by another train.


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## railiner (Dec 4, 2018)

jis said:


> This is not the first time this has happened. There was a similar report a couple of years back.
> 
> Incidentally, the train shown in the photo is not a particularly high speed one, and moreover, it is not possible to stick your head out any window of that train either.


Typical press...even the caption says it's a "stock photo"....if a US media picked up the story, they would probably show an Amtrak train...


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## Devil's Advocate (Dec 4, 2018)

1.  Even on the correct trains for most windows it is not possible to do this.

2.  I've actually done this myself, probably on the same line, and it's [expletive] amazing if you can manage to survive it.

3.  You need to be quick and alert because even small airborne debris or an insect can mess you up when traveling 100 MPH right into your face.

4.  If you do this and screw it up you not only harm yourself, you also risk appalling your friends and family, and ruining the experience for everyone else.

5.  The person who did this was old enough to know what they were getting into, they had a cheap thrill and died, which is sad but it was their choice.


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## cpotisch (Dec 4, 2018)

Time and time again, my sentiment about mainstream news outlets talking about trains, shines true.


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## caravanman (Dec 4, 2018)

When I worked on Britsh Rail, staff would refer to the "four foot" , being the running rails at 4' 8"  and the "six foot", being the minimum space between adjacent tracks.

(Yes I know there is an extra half inch...)

Probably the person hit their head against a lineside post or similar. Maybe they were dying for a cigarette...?

Ed.


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## jis (Dec 4, 2018)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-46420317

I was at Bristol Temple Meads and traveled via Bath back to London, Wednesday before last in my ramblings around Britain.


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## cirdan (Dec 4, 2018)

railiner said:


> Typical press...even the caption says it's a "stock photo"....if a US media picked up the story, they would probably show an Amtrak train...


and call it a caboose.


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## cirdan (Dec 4, 2018)

AKA said:


> How far out of the window would you have to get  ?   How much clearance is there between trains  ?  If in fact she was hit by another train.


Technically, clearances in the UK are so tight that they use the available space to the maximum. Thus even leaning out a little can be dangerous.


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## Seaboard92 (Dec 4, 2018)

Nothing can be tighter than Washington Terminal in my opinion. I was taking two cars in from the yard and was walking between them to get a drink and we had left the vestibule upper door open. We were passing an Acela and it looked close enough that I could touch it as it rolled by without even extending my arm that far. Which is precisely the reason the corridor shouldn't have open vestibules. 

I love open window riding in Germany but it's getting progressively more and more rare these days as they switch to EMUs and HVAC stock. Occasionally you'll find something with the old stock which makes it enjoyable. And every once in a blue moon an Inter-City with open windows. 

But if you're going to do it be smart wear safety glasses, and if you see another piece of rail equipment on an adjacent track make sure you're inside the car body. 



That was back when the München-Innsbruck via Mittenwald RE ran with single level locomotive hauled consists. I miss those days. 



That is the distance between two Allgäu Express meeting on the Allgäu Bahn in Bavaria. 



The Allgäu Bahn in Bavaria. One of the regular trains you can find with open windows are the Allgäu Express trains operated by Arriva. They run with a hodgepodge of equipment but usually at least one open window car. They run a München-Lindau service (with some branches splitting off) and a München-Regensburg-Hof-Praha service.


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## greatwestern (Dec 4, 2018)

The train that the victim was travelling on must have been an HST 125.

Although doors are locked remotely by the train crew whilst moving (at one time they were not), the only way the doors can be opened at stations is by the passengers using an outside door handle - from inside the train the window has to be pulled down to access the outside handle. Windows are slid up and down and are not locked at any time.

I live in Bristol and frequently travel on these trains and there is at least a foot (probably 18 inches) of clearance at the tightest of locations between the train and any obstruction although shrubbery and tree branches are prone to encroach. There is clear signage advising passengers not to lean out of windows.

This type of train on the Great Western Routes is largely being replaced by Hitachi hybrid (Diesel & Electric) sets on which there are no opening windows and doors are electrically opened and closed once remotely locked/unlocked by the train crew.


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## Maglev (Dec 4, 2018)

I unfortunately confess to riding these trains at speed with my head out the window, and once being surprised by another train's passing.  Just the shock wave of two trains with a closing speed over 200 mph can be enough to do damage.


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## Devil's Advocate (Dec 4, 2018)

greatwestern said:


> The train that the victim was travelling on must have been an HST 125.


Victim?  Was someone forcing her head out of the window against her will?



Maglev said:


> I unfortunately confess to riding these trains at speed with my head out the window, and once being surprised by another train's passing.  Just the shock wave of two trains with a closing speed over 200 mph can be enough to do damage.


Low probability high severity risks are part of what makes life worth living.  Situational awareness helps us to survive risky decisions.


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## Steve4031 (Dec 4, 2018)

I fondly recall my first ride on British Rail slam door equipment on the line from Waterloo to Woking iirc in 1988.  I rode the entire trip with the window in my compartment all the way down.  I stood up so I could look out the window like it was a Dutch door. But I did not stick my head out because of the post supporting the cantenary wires were whizzing past at 100 plus mph.  A great ride.


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## greatwestern (Dec 5, 2018)

To Devil's Advocate - Perhaps my use of the word "victim" in my post could have been better chosen however a dictionary definition "a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action" does seem to fit the circumstances.

The death  of this person, however described, is very sad.

Like others posting here I have often looked out of these opening windows to check signal aspects/platform allocation etc. but I am fully aware of the need to be mindful of potential hazards.


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## AKA (Dec 5, 2018)

Thanks for all the answers.  I did this once on a superliner in the winter on the CZ.  Got a great pix. All this was with the help of the SCA. He got a nice tip.


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## fairviewroad (Dec 13, 2018)

If we really want to be pedantic on terminology, we would note that the woman did not die "*from* sticking her head out" but rather "*while *sticking her head out."

You wouldn't say that someone died "from running onto an interstate." Rather, it's the presence of other items (signal post, 18-wheeler, e.g.) that causes the death.

I mean, I'm not actually going to point that out...I'm simply saying that if someone wants to enlighten us with their rigid view on the proper usage of English words, this could be a way to do just that.


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## cpotisch (Dec 13, 2018)

fairviewroad said:


> If we really want to be pedantic on terminology, we would note that the woman did not die "*from* sticking her head out" but rather "*while *sticking her head out."
> 
> You wouldn't say that someone died "from running onto an interstate." Rather, it's the presence of other items (signal post, 18-wheeler, e.g.) that causes the death.
> 
> I mean, I'm not actually going to point that out...I'm simply saying that if someone wants to enlighten us with their rigid view on the proper usage of English words, this could be a way to do just that.


[pedantic mode] Well, the act of sticking her head out the window did result in her death, so I think it could go either way. I mean the actual cause of death was not her putting her head out the window, but it is what caused the situation. [/pedantic mode]


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## greatwestern (Dec 19, 2018)

The inquest into this death has been told that the young lady who died was hit by a tree or a branch after leaning out of a window.

The inquest has been opened and adjourned at a Coroners' Court.


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