train crashes

[filthiestfis]

How likely am I to survive a train crash if I am on the last carriage and the train is hit at the front?

[SteveD]

Surely there are too many unknowns here:

- How many carriages are there?
- How fast is the train travelling?
- Is the track straight or curved?
- Is the train in a cutting, in a tunnel, under a bridge, on an embankment?
- Are you standing or sitting?
- If sitting, are you facing the direction of travel?
- Are there any other passengers (who may fly forward and hit you)?

etc, etc, etc

[filthiestfis]

I know, but statisitically I would like to find out how many survivors are at the end of the train, surely the likelihood of surviving must be greater at the back than the front.

[Siamsal]

But what if it were hit in the rear? Many are. I'd say the safest place is in the middle

[Postdog]

Unless it's running across points and another train sideswipes it.....

[Lonnie]

Have a look at this, second chapter, 'Details of incident', it doesn't tell you exactly what your after, but it does describe how the carriages behaved, bearing in mind, this was in a tunnel, and it hit a brick wall, but you may be able to do some calculations.

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Moorgate_ tube_crash