Can a coin weighing just a few grams cause a major disaster?
What is a Train Derailment?
A train derailment occurs when a train runs off its tracks. However, this does not mean that the entire train is completely off the tracks.
Derailments can happen for various reasons such as collisions with other objects, operational errors, mechanical failures in the tracks, and mechanical failures in the wheels. Sometimes derailments are intentional to prevent more serious issues.
So, if a coin is placed on the tracks, could it cause a train derailment?
Let’s visualize: A coin weighing a few grams cannot cause an entire train to derail. The answer is NO.
Placing a coin on the tracks does not cause a train to derail.
For a coin, its size is not large enough to cause a train to run off the tracks. This certainty is based on mass and momentum. The principle of conservation of momentum applies here. This principle essentially states that when two objects with mass interact, the total momentum is conserved.
In this case, the two objects involved are the train and the coin. The mass difference between these two objects is enormous: The locomotive alone (not counting the cargo and passenger cars) weighs between 100 tons and over 200 tons. A coin, on the other hand, weighs just a few grams.
Additionally, the train (the heavier object) is moving at high speed, while the coin is stationary. Therefore, the momentum of the moving train is significantly greater than that of the coin.
Dash 9 GE-C44-9W weighs 210 tons. The weight of diesel locomotives varies from about 100 tons to over 200 tons, depending on the model. (Photo: Wikipedia).
The coin is too light to transfer any of its own momentum to the train – at least not enough to cause any change to the train’s path. In summary, this coin will have no effect whatsoever.
In fact, the coin could get flattened and stuck to the tracks. In other cases, the coin may “vaporize” entirely, getting caught in the wheels or simply being flung far away.
It is important to note that many people have tried this experiment to find the most authentic answer. However, if you are not a professional, you should not attempt this.
There have been numerous unfortunate incidents where people tried to place a coin on the tracks and were injured or even killed due to the high speed of trains causing the coin to be propelled away at high velocity; there have also been cases where individuals were too close to the tracks and could not move away in time as the train passed.
It is best not to attempt this for your safety and the safety of the train.
