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Window Hanging ?

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Rich_D3167

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And some people feel that they've more got their moneys worth on a tour if they're stood by a droplight watching the performance of the loco throughout the trip. It varies for me whether I'll be standing up or sitting down, depending on the company I'm keeping and how many bottles of ale I have to get through :D Each to their own, and I can't work out how someone getting on with their life and standing looking out of a droplight annoys you if you were content sitting in your seat anyway?

Personally, in the case of a Mk1 or Mk2, you can open the window above your seat and listen to the loco anyway (& have a peek out every now & then if you so wish). Each to their own I suppose, as you say, but given the choice of sitting or standing for 14 hours, I know which i'd choose! I can get just as much enjoyment sat in the seat listening to the loco rather than sticking my head out getting covered in soot!

What I should have said in the terms of what annoys me is the type of people who would stand at a droplight window & refuse to move if someone else wanted a look out of it. A lot of people tend to see someone stood at a droplight window & not bother to ask if they themselves can have a look. Fair enough, it doesn't take much to ask, but if someone refuses to move, then wouldn't you say it's ignorant? Admittedly, though, the times i've known this to happen are largely in the minority.
 
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4SRKT

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Vestibule veg on railtours are annoying it's true, but the benefit of window hanging on such things as HSTs or the tiny number of loco-hauled trains is that they're not there!
 

Minilad

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Elf and safety gone mad i tells ya.
I have done in the past and still do. I don't consider myself an idiot or irresponsible.
I would say window hanging is probably safer than some of the silly buggers standing line side to take pics
Oh and I often stick my head out of the cab window on a 170 when pulling from a station just to make sure no one on the platform is getting a bit to close. Anyone care to call me an idiot for doing that ?
 

MattRobinson

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I never seem to catch HSTs or loco hauled services, so most of my window hanging is from preserved railways, especially KWVR. I've been out as a cleaner on steam locos a couple of times, and window hanging is the only way to get a good view on a steam loco, so I don't see too much of a problem with it. That said, I have a pair of prescription safety glasses that I wear around the yard/ while on locos, which reduces the likelihood of getting something in my eye.
 

YorkshireBear

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I never seem to catch HSTs or loco hauled services, so most of my window hanging is from preserved railways, especially KWVR. I've been out as a cleaner on steam locos a couple of times, and window hanging is the only way to get a good view on a steam loco, so I don't see too much of a problem with it. That said, I have a pair of prescription safety glasses that I wear around the yard/ while on locos, which reduces the likelihood of getting something in my eye.

Thats where msot of mine goes on too. So as its only 25mp its safe.

I notice your location is wakefield you should just travel to leeds on EC a lot fo their services seem to be HST especially peak.

P.S check your visitor messages
 
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4SRKT

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Thats where msot of mine goes on too. So as its only 25mp its safe.

I notice your location is wakefield you should just travel to leeds on EC a lot fo their services seem to be HST especially peak.


Indeed, and not just EC, but Wakefield is well placed for the handful of XC HSTs as well. Window hanging over the viaduct is quite fun!
 

YorkshireBear

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Indeed, and not just EC, but Wakefield is well placed for the handful of XC HSTs as well. Window hanging over the viaduct is quite fun!

It certainly is, i always find the curves into leeds fascinating too.
 

Harbon 1

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If anything is close enough to the train to decapitate somebody, surely it would be intruding on the loading gauge if its only a heads width away?
 

4SRKT

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If anything is close enough to the train to decapitate somebody, surely it would be moved back, as it would be intruding on the loading gauge?

Quite. What the naysayers need to remember is that the episode of The Young Ones where Vivian got decapitated was a comedy, NOT a public information film ;)


 

sprinterguy

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Personally, in the case of a Mk1 or Mk2, you can open the window above your seat and listen to the loco anyway (& have a peek out every now & then if you so wish). Each to their own I suppose, as you say, but given the choice of sitting or standing for 14 hours, I know which i'd choose! I can get just as much enjoyment sat in the seat listening to the loco rather than sticking my head out getting covered in soot!

What I should have said in the terms of what annoys me is the type of people who would stand at a droplight window & refuse to move if someone else wanted a look out of it. A lot of people tend to see someone stood at a droplight window & not bother to ask if they themselves can have a look. Fair enough, it doesn't take much to ask, but if someone refuses to move, then wouldn't you say it's ignorant? Admittedly, though, the times i've known this to happen are largely in the minority.
Ah, now I understand you; "Vestibule veg" as 4SRKT so accurately puts it, who are so recalcitrant to any request from anyone else who wants to have a peek out of "their" droplight! Fair enough :)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Vestibule veg on railtours are annoying it's true, but the benefit of window hanging on such things as HSTs or the tiny number of loco-hauled trains is that they're not there!
Aye that's very much true: There's plenty of droplights available on the small number of service trains that still have them!
 

TheJRB

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The furthest I've ever (and ever would to be honest) been out a train window was sticking my camera's lens a couple of inches at the most out the already open window of a Mk3 stopped at Colchester to get a photo of the DRS 47 parked at a perfect position. Had the window not been open and had the loco not been where it was, I wouldn't of done it!

I've lowered the window once within the platform and at a low enough speed at Stratford on the 90 hauled sets so as to be able to get the door open once stopped.

I was on the Thames Tidal Thumper tour last month and I noticed there were quite a few announcements made about leaning out of windows, particularly around the Dudding Hill line where there are some very limited clearances. The thing that bothers me most about it though, is that those partaking in said activity are likely to get the operator in trouble if it's found out.

I've noticed guards leaning out of the rear cab window on departure at Ashford quite a few times, although I suppose that isn't really "window hanging" as such!
 

GearJammer

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If anything is close enough to the train to decapitate somebody, surely it would be intruding on the loading gauge if its only a heads width away?

I agree with that... if i do it i usually lean out at slow speed looking forward (coz to me thats the whole point....seeing where your going) so im not going to get hit by anything because i'll see it coming, as the train picks up speed i usually just have enough of my head poking out so i can see up the side of the train, again looking forward, but when you reach high speeds your eyes water and the enjoyment of it is lost, at that point i usually retreat to my seat!

Theres nothing stupid about it, provided common sence and brain power is used... tho that said i am aware that both are in short supply with some people these days.
 

150222

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I presume you're one of those people who knows what they are doing, at least until their head is rolling along the line side.

I know the line, the general service pattern and have decent eyesight. I didn't do it for long and could have got back in if nessasary. Also I was looking where I was going, not videoing. Next time have the full story & facts before you make snide comments eh?
 

MidnightFlyer

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I know the line, the general service pattern and have decent eyesight. I didn't do it for long and could have got back in if nessasary. Also I was looking where I was going, not videoing. Next time have the full story & facts before you make snide comments eh?

That's absolutely fine until a stick or small stone or whatever comes hurtling towards your face at 80 miles an hour and you have about 0.25 seconds to react before it strikes your face at a combined speed of about 150mph...
 

150222

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As do I. I'll admit I've done it, and at 125 mph while passing my subject which was doing 75 mph, but I do my best to be careful and make sure I'm ready to duck back in at a second's notice. I also know that I shouldn't really do it, especially at speed. Still, there are far more dangerous activities you could undertake on the railways, and I don't do those. I believe that people have the ability to decide just how much risk they want to take, and if they are prepared to take the responsibility for their actions, especially if it does not directly affect others, then good luck to them.

Exactly!
 

Jonfun

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I'm a guard on a heritage railway. As you may or may not know, Mk1 and Mk2 stock is fitted with an inward opening guards' door. While the train is leaving the platform, this door will remain open, with one arm securely around the door and the other either on the inside handle or on the brake valve depending on which side I'm on, allowing me to get a decent view along the length of my train as it leaves the platform.

Does that make me an idiot/bad person?
 

Harbon 1

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That's absolutely fine until a stick or small stone or whatever comes hurtling towards your face at 80 miles an hour and you have about 0.25 seconds to react before it strikes your face at a combined speed of about 150mph...

How does a train pick up and hurl a stone? I can understand in maybe on the road, but on the railway?
 

starrymarkb

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How does a train pick up and hurl a stone? I can understand in maybe on the road, but on the railway?

Turbulence. Though the speeds are much higher the ICE3 had major problems with ballast throwing when operating over French LGVs. Units that operate into France have spoilers around the underfloor equipment to mitigate this. (German NBS lines use either slap track or very very tightly packed ballast - it wasn't an issue.) The Spanish had similar issues with their Velaros.
 

Harbon 1

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So, as ours are basically the slowest high speed trains in Europe, there isn't that much of a problem. I have never seen ballast being thrown around since Top Gear drove a 31 into an Espace. I think what's more of an issue is toilets being flushed on the track.....
 

4SRKT

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The whole that's absolutely fine until it isn't line of argument is so fatuous it breaks my heart. What is needed in this as in any situation is an appreciation of actual risk, not a [potentially very long] list of things that might happen, no matter how unlikely. If you took this approach you'd never get out of bed. Even that would be potentially dangerous because the bed might collapse, or a red hot meteorite might come through the window and set set fire to your duvet.
 

Minilad

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The whole that's absolutely fine until it isn't line of argument is so fatuous it breaks my heart. What is needed in this as in any situation is an appreciation of actual risk, not a [potentially very long] list of things that might happen, no matter how unlikely. If you took this approach you'd never get out of bed. Even that would be potentially dangerous because the bed might collapse, or a red hot meteorite might come through the window and set set fire to your duvet.

Well said that man
 

Temple Meads

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The whole that's absolutely fine until it isn't line of argument is so fatuous it breaks my heart. What is needed in this as in any situation is an appreciation of actual risk, not a [potentially very long] list of things that might happen, no matter how unlikely. If you took this approach you'd never get out of bed. Even that would be potentially dangerous because the bed might collapse, or a red hot meteorite might come through the window and set set fire to your duvet.

Amen to that :)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well, turbulance from the train or the wind maybe...?

Sorry Matt, but your argument seems pretty invalid if you don't even know how such a thing could occur.

An overhanging branch is more of a worry, I'll never window hang if there is close vegetation to the track.
 

ralphchadkirk

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I suppose my opinion is a bit hypocritical really. Like Jonfun, I have to observe my trains in and out of a platform. To do that, I have the inward opening door open and lean out. However I will only do that if part of my train is in the platform. I also know where the areas of limited clearance are, I know where the brambles are getting too close so I need to duck back in again. Every time I do it I am taking a risk, however small, but I minimise that risk through dynamically assessing it.

I'm also quite happy for my passengers to lean out, and take photos if they wish. 25mph is slow enough for them to see and react to hazards even if they are paying more attention to their viewfinder than what's ahead. If however, they start acting stupidly and almost have most of their body outside the train then I will ask them to stop.

In short, it's not something that I can say a default yes or no to. It very much depends on the circumstances. I would however be concerned by people who do it at high speed, or who are not aware of the hazards of the line they are travelling on.
 

MidnightFlyer

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Sorry Matt, but your argument seems pretty invalid if you don't even know how such a thing could occur.

It was a rhetorical question... :roll: I am perfectly aware of and able to justify the dangers that come with window hanging, thank you.

As I have said, I do not mind it coming into and out of stations, at low speeds or having the window open at any speeds, what does bother me is the complete and utter idiots you see with their head and upper torso out at 60mph. I'm glad railtours are clamping down on it to the point where I think removal from the train has been threatened, about time too. Maybe an event in North Wales as described on here before should serve as a stark warning to anyone who thinks 'Yeah, it'll never happen'.
 

Temple Meads

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It was a rhetorical question... :roll: I am perfectly aware of and able to justify the dangers that come with window hanging, thank you.

As I have said, I do not mind it coming into and out of stations, at low speeds or having the window open at any speeds, what does bother me is the complete and utter idiots you see with their head and upper torso out at 60mph. I'm glad railtours are clamping down on it to the point where I think removal from the train has been threatened, about time too. Maybe an event in North Wales as described on here before should serve as a stark warning to anyone who thinks 'Yeah, it'll never happen'.

I'm not one to think "It'll never happen", as it's always a possibility (just like being killed in a crash is a possibility every time you board a train), I'm more of the opinion, "It's unlikely to happen if I use common sense", and yes, having your whole upper body out of a window at 60mph is not using common sense.
 

Harbon 1

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Temple Meads said:
An overhanging branch is more of a worry, I'll never window hang if there is close vegetation to the track.

Yes! Especially after my finger twanged a branch on a railtour..i wasn't even out the window :lol:
 

4SRKT

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It was a rhetorical question... :roll: I am perfectly aware of and able to justify the dangers that come with window hanging, thank you.

As I have said, I do not mind it coming into and out of stations, at low speeds or having the window open at any speeds, what does bother me is the complete and utter idiots you see with their head and upper torso out at 60mph. I'm glad railtours are clamping down on it to the point where I think removal from the train has been threatened, about time too. Maybe an event in North Wales as described on here before should serve as a stark warning to anyone who thinks 'Yeah, it'll never happen'.

Why are you so bothered about what other people get up to? Do you think they are equally bothered about what you 'mind'?

One mishap in 30 years is the best the naysayers can come up with? Statistically this must make window hanging one of the safest activities in history?
 
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