ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
UL 508A SPACING
by ale348 - 03/29/24 01:09 AM
Increasing demand factors in residential
by tortuga - 03/28/24 05:57 PM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (ale348), 302 guests, and 14 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 2 of 2 1 2
#69062 08/26/06 05:55 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
How did he get on the cable, if it was at 5000v, without getting zapped or arced? And how did he get off it without his femurs being driven through the top of his head? - those catenaries aren't strung up 8 feet off the ground.

Weeeeell now, he either -

a] Jumped off the platform, [ EH? what's a catenery doing below a platform?], and caught the cable in mid air, jus' like in the circus, then did a triple-somersault and landed on his solid-bone head. "Hahahaha! Didn't hurt!"

b] Hitched a lift from a crow, then landed on a 'bouncy castle' on the back of a truck that just happened to be crossing the tracks in the wrong place. [Linked Image]

c] Has mini NASA jet-pack trainers on.

d] It's all a load of bullshine, and that's his mom's washing line.

I smell d].

Alan


Wood work but can't!
#69063 08/27/06 07:31 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
Quote
Is that the overhead feed line for the train's pantograph?

Yep. 25kV AC is the standard overhead supply on the long-distance electrified main lines here.

Quote
If so, that would have been one for a Road Runner vs. Coyote cartoon.

It's O.K. -- The circuit is protected by an Acme GFCI....... [Linked Image]

Quote
How did he get on the cable, if it was at 5000v, without getting zapped or arced?

My guess would be he jumped from an overhead bridge, and caught the cable on the way down. I think we need to take the 5000V figure as a "pseudo technical" piece of data given to the newspaper reporter too.

As I read the story, the line in question had been shut off due to some other incident, but presumably not grounded out as it probably would be for maintenance. So there could have been some voltage on the line due to induction from a still energized neighboring track, but obviously that actual level would depend upon many factors.

#69064 09/01/06 06:05 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
In Austrai any railway technician shutting off and NOT grounding out a railway power line would be slapped over his head REAL hard! I had a railway safety training a month ago and they were EXTREMELY tight on always locking and grounding out, if working on outside tracks even groundin out on both sides of the work area.

#69065 09/01/06 07:47 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
Quote
I got moderated for saying pee.

Well, no you didn't. You had a story that you told in a fashion suitable for a bar room. This is not a bar room.
The post I removed did not contain the word "pee" in it anywhere.

Like Bob said , there's no reason NOT to keep it clean.

#69066 09/01/06 08:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
It's interesting that not all details are visible in the photo, including the support structures of the OH line.

UK is 25 kV ac thats correct,

Typical media jargon. The 5000 Volts (not current) maybe remaining could be from induction through nearby OH lines from the other tracks or capacitor banks which havent fully discharger through their discharge resistors.

Any maintenance work weather it is POCO or Railways, the lines should be isolated, tagged, privately locked off and earthed at both sides of the working area and still with full PPE, to be used to do any work.
Barehanded work is not accepted under above conditions.

Perhaps the railways may have live line crews who are specially trained to deal with live OH work.

That guy is a clown and a no brainer and lucky if he is still alive.
Somehow he either managed to jump and hang onto that cable while exposing himself to great risk of electrocution.


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
#69067 09/03/06 05:14 AM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,876
E
e57 Offline
Member
I'd say caught it like a trapeez - any old Boy Scouts remember the Confidence Course? (Climb the 40' pole, and jump from the top to the trapeez 5' away - tethered to a belay of course)

His buddy in the backround seems to be either the one who put him up to it, or the easily attracted and impressionable type.


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
#69068 09/04/06 12:51 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
I'm only going on French media reports:

When hapless young man got electrocuted by an arc a couple of years ago, whilst trespassing on a carriage roof in the Marseilles marshalling yards. The Gendarmerie were unable, [ and unwilling, having recently lost an officer in a similar incident ], to go to his aid immediately. Sadly, he died on the roof with the helpless officers unable to get to him. The 25000v oh line was still charged, though off, and they had to wait for 4 hours for a Grounding crew with a special kit to arrive, working away up line.
How difficult/hazardous is it to discharge an overhead to ground potential?

Alan


Wood work but can't!
#69069 09/04/06 02:01 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
That's beyond my scope. i was taught you can simply shut off a railway power line (if necessary from both sides) and hang a grounding stick, connecting the line to the tracks.
How can that stuff remain charged? Capacitance?

Page 2 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5