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Window Hanging ?

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221129

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Hello all i just want your opinion on window hanging.

Do you support it or are you against it and reasons why

I personally will do it at low speeds (Arriving/Departing Stations) but not high speeds (unlike a couple between Stoke Cannon and Cowley Bridge Jct this morning who nearly lost their heads to a frieghtliner 66 who Blasted his horn just in time!)

So what are members opinions ??
Over to you guys :)
 
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MidnightFlyer

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Physically having any part of your body out of the window whilst the train is in motion is dangerous and idiotic, unless it's pulling into a station at walking pace (or close enough).
 

valenta

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Hello all i just want your opinion on window hanging.

Do you support it or are you against it and reasons why

I personally will do it at low speeds (Arriving/Departing Stations) but not high speeds (unlike a couple between Stoke Cannon and Cowley Bridge Jct this morning who nearly lost their heads to a frieghtliner 66 who Blasted his horn just in time!)

So what are members opinions ??
Over to you guys :)

Well, sorry to be a spoil sport but I don't support it at either high speed or low speed. Though your train may be travelling at a low speed, the train on another line may not be. There tends to be notices advising against this for a reason and I think more care needs to be taken by some people.
 

YorkshireBear

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Ill do it approaching leeds station. Simply because you come in on a very sharp curve so i can clearly see any other trains but apart from that and while your in platform at low speed i dont do it or think anyone else should.

Now doing it on the KWVR is a different matter :)
 

221129

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Well, sorry to be a spoil sport but I don't support it at either high speed or low speed. Though your train may be travelling at a low speed, the train on another line may not be. There tends to be notices advising against this for a reason and I think more care needs to be taken by some people.

I understand your point but i am aware of this and NEVER do it on the side of the other line only where there is a platform.
I will however lower the window for fresh air
 

CC 72100

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I'll lower the window to get a bit of fresh air in and a better view out, but no way at high speed! Coming into a platform I like to as it's at low speed, and I may have a quick peak out on some of the curves between Plymouth and Newton Abbot, but that's as far as it goes for me. They don't say "Do not lean out of the window" for no reason!
 
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221129

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Try telling that to the couple on the train this morning (HST at 90 - 100 mph + Light 66 at 80 - 90 mph = Nasty mess) they didnt see it coming it was thanks to a tone by the 66 that saved them
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I'll lower the window to get a bit of fresh air in and a better view out, but no way at high speed! Coming into a platform I like to as it's at low speed, and I may have a quick peak out on some of the curves between Plymouth and Newton Abbot, but that's as far as it goes for me. They don't say "Do not lean out of the window" for no reason!

Thats Exactly what i do.
Coming into EXD after the student accomodation just before the SWT 159 Sidings is when i poke my head out for quick alighting at the station to Grab a pic of the front power car
 

Yew

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Ibve always been tempted to do it, but whenever I| have tried to at speed, the air coming through the window, and looking out of it (head still inside the train) has been enough for me :) Ive stuck my fingers out a few times though :)


I have meant to try it at low speed coming into a platform, but I always forget to :(
 

MidnightFlyer

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Try telling that to the couple on the train this morning (HST at 90 - 100 mph + Light 66 at 80 - 90 mph = Nasty mess) they didnt see it coming it was thanks to a tone by the 66 that saved them

I believed a 66 could only do 65-75mph max :|
 
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I would only do it when there is no risk of another train hitting me in the face (i.e when there is no adjacent running line) and even in those circumstances I only ever face the direction the train is travelling and bring my head back in if the train goes round a corner, just can't tell when the next bridge/tunnel/tree will try to hi-five your face, especially on unfamiliar track.
 

221129

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I would only do it when there is no risk of another train hitting me in the face (i.e when there is no adjacent running line) and even in those circumstances I only ever face the direction the train is travelling and bring my head back in if the train goes round a corner, just can't tell when the next bridge/tunnel/tree will try to hi-five your face, especially on unfamiliar track.

Agreed !!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I believed a 66 could only do 65-75mph max :|

That might be true i wasnt sure :oops:
 

12CSVT

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Even worse than window hanging is the idiotic craze of arm waving from train windows (which gave haulage bashers a bad reputation in the 1980s and 1990s). On more than one occasion I have seen people injured from arm-waving while on railtours, thankfully most railtour operators have clamped down on this sort of activity.
 

221129

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Ibve always been tempted to do it, but whenever I| have tried to at speed, the air coming through the window, and looking out of it (head still inside the train) has been enough for me :) Ive stuck my fingers out a few times though :)


I have meant to try it at low speed coming into a platform, but I always forget to :(

Doing it at a station is the best way to do it low speeds and virtually no risk
 

MidnightFlyer

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Even worse than window hanging is the idiotic craze of arm waving from train windows (which gave haulage bashers a bad reputation in the 1980s and 1990s). On more than one occasion I have seen people injured from arm-waving while on railtours, thankfully most railtour operators have clamped down on this sort of activity.

Indeed, I believe railtour operators can get in quite a bit of trouble now if they don't keep it under control.
 

221129

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Even worse than window hanging is the idiotic craze of arm waving from train windows (which gave haulage bashers a bad reputation in the 1980s and 1990s). On more than one occasion I have seen people injured from arm-waving while on railtours, thankfully most railtour operators have clamped down on this sort of activity.

That would be one step too far for me TBH
 

ACE1888

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With the vegetation growth on the network, it's more dangerous to do, and in the H&S 'times' we're in, it won't be allowed for much longer I expect. The Good old days of Mk1 and 2's are remembered therefore, with affection...
 

Yew

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With the vegetation growth on the network, it's more dangerous to do, and in the H&S 'times' we're in, it won't be allowed for much longer I expect. The Good old days of Mk1 and 2's are remembered therefore, with affection...

I saw some guys cutting trees down near lincoln today. Unfortunately I dont think they where installing droplights on the sprinters :(
 

Temple Meads

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As my longest ever lasting user title proudly proclaimed (HST Window Basher), I do have a penchant for window leaning, I'd like to think that I do it safely however, I never stick my head out at anything above low speed when I'd be placing my head towards another running line, and very rarely do it above 50 MPH on the "good side", the Dawlish sea wall is an exception, plus I'll admit to having a 20 second lean in the Severn Tunnel last week :)

However, I don't disagree that it is rather foolish, and stupid people and open windows on 125MPH trains are not a safe mixture.

I've only ever been admonished by a guard for window leaning once, and that was on the RUK Devon Ranger bash :lol:

But anyway, I do support window leaning, as long as you use common sense and err on the side of caution.
 

sprinterguy

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Window hanging is great sport :D

Personally, I've always thought that it would be safer to do it on the "outboard" side of the train next to the adjacent running line rather than on the "inboard" side over the cess: On the edge of the alignment towards the cess, you have to deal with a myriad of different hazards: Signals, speed limit markers, potentially catenary masts and bridges and tunnels all at a myriad of different distances from the train and often within a very restricted clearance that is nigh on impossible to predict in advance. And lineside foliage often comes right up to the edge of the train in many places.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the train, the only thing you have to look out for is oncoming trains from the other direction. Which don't just suddenly appear on the spot, and tend to have massive highly visible yellow ends: And surely if you are window hanging, you are continuously facing forward, watching the line ahead? Though I'll bring my head in on corners, where my line of sight is obscured.

To be honest, it becomes a bit "pointless" (It's apparent that there's many on this forum who are of the opinion that the whole activity is pointless!) once you get into the 75-100mph bracket anyway: You just end up with your eyes streaming!
 

Ivo

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Sorry - but I have to side with the sensible lot. It is both dangerous and idiotic as Matt and others have said. The closest to it I will is to lower the window, position myself to get a clear look through the gap, and take my glasses off before actually looking (literally an inch or so may move outside the train, which is why I open the window because my head is too big) - and even then, only ever at Reading. Not that I've done it recently, given the renovations in the area.

Some of those who went on the Devon Ranger bash got in a bit of bother with the XC conductor, did they not? Don't tell me it didn't happen - I was sat on the HST while the conductor made an announcement insisting you stopped.

Bit of hypocrisy in watching TMs do it though I feel?
 

221129

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The XC one was at someone else who jumped out to avoid paying a fare we had a FGW TM on the way to Axminster though
 

Bevan Price

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I have looked through coach drop windows in the past, but only after carefully checking both ways for possible hazards, and usually only on routes with which I am fairly familiar.. The only reason recently has been to try to get photos of signal boxes or closed station sites that are otherwise inaccessible to the public.
 

Temple Meads

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It is both dangerous and idiotic as Matt and others have said.

Are you saying I'm a dangerous idiot? :p ;)

The XC one was at someone else who jumped out to avoid paying a fare we had a FGW TM on the way to Axminster though

Yep, it was the FGW guard who had a problem with us window hanging, on our first train of the day as well, wasn't the best start to the meet really :lol:
 

Harbon 1

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I do it quite a lot, but usually on the 6 foot side because I enjoy looking at the Infastructure. However, I will stop once you reach that speed, around 70ish, when you can no longer breathe! I like to think that I do it as safely as I can:

I will always wait for the next train to pass when out on the main, thus knowing I will have the longest time. And when going around blind corners I will move inwards slightly and listen for the rails to ring, warning of an approaching train.

I would do it on the non-business side, but as sprinterguy says, there are too many obsticals to avoid.

I do however think that the people that properly lean right out are foolish, I personally try to keep tucked away at all times.
 

4SRKT

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Well I love it! :) and after about 30 years of doing it with impunity I'd say I'm pretty good at it.
 

150222

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I've done it at on the right hand side between Northallerton and York, AT SPEED! (105-120 at a guess) I open the window fully, have a peek first (so I can dive back in if a train is coming), then lean out (glasses off, but can see without them anyway). My eyes were certainly watering afterwards. Normally do it pulling into Wakefield as well.
 
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