LoS between a balloon and a.....train?!?
Thread Starter
LoS between a balloon and a.....train?!?
Originally Posted by The ATSB
Early on the morning of 11 November 2015, a Watco freight train, 4K26, was travelling southbound on the Frenches to East Northam rail line in Western Australia. The train was travelling at about 60 km/hr along a section of track as it approached a left corner, approximately 3 km north of Northam (Figure 1). As the train rounded the corner, the driver saw a hot air balloon in close proximity to the rail tracks. The driver observed that the balloon was low to the ground and inside the rail corridor,1 to the left side of the track
The pilot crossed the rail line from the south-west to the north-east at a height of approximately 50–60 ft, and then descended to around fence top height.
If you're going to play chicken with a train, I get two weeks off if I run someone over. Fill ya boots! Gives me more time to fly the RV!
The report.
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Yes, They will have to reprogram the software
'Whoop Whoop....Too Low.....Train......Pull Up.....
'Whoop Whoop....Too Low.....Train..... Pull Up.....
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• They were unable to discern the direction of travel of the balloon.
Really,...Cant they tell the difference between the front and the back of a Hot Air Balloon?
'Whoop Whoop....Too Low.....Train......Pull Up.....
'Whoop Whoop....Too Low.....Train..... Pull Up.....
Quote
• They were unable to discern the direction of travel of the balloon.
Really,...Cant they tell the difference between the front and the back of a Hot Air Balloon?
Last edited by Acrosport II; 18th Apr 2016 at 12:29.
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I notice nothing was mentioned about the balloon basket needing an exceptionally good cleaning afterwards, to remove all the brown stains!!
I'll wager the smell wasn't much better in the loco cab, either!
Those NR class locos can do 115kmh, and they can come out of nowhere, FAST! - although I think that section of track has a lower speed limit.
One thing I didn't notice mentioned was the double-stacked shipping containers on the train, that are considerably higher than any part of the locos.
Catching your balloon envelope on the top corner of a shipping container doing 115kmh, could provide more than a few of the normal balloon control problems!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDUP-bxhLVs
I'll wager the smell wasn't much better in the loco cab, either!
Those NR class locos can do 115kmh, and they can come out of nowhere, FAST! - although I think that section of track has a lower speed limit.
One thing I didn't notice mentioned was the double-stacked shipping containers on the train, that are considerably higher than any part of the locos.
Catching your balloon envelope on the top corner of a shipping container doing 115kmh, could provide more than a few of the normal balloon control problems!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDUP-bxhLVs
Some years ago a powered parachute was allegedly flying low near a train in the US when it was sucked into the train and the occupant fatally injured in the impact.
I'd imagine there would be quite a "wash" from the train.
I'd imagine there would be quite a "wash" from the train.