SUV damages train tracks?

[Foggy]

I'm all most certainly missing something obvious here, but how can an SUV driving on train tracks damage them?

SUV cleared from Muni tunnel, service restored (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/19/BAOS1MRKES.DTL&tsp=1)

Underground Metro service was halted while police moved the SUV off the tracks and into a siding. After crews inspected the system and made minor repairs, service was restored at 8:30 a.m., Rose said.

Trains will move slowly through the area, however, until more extensive repairs are made this evening, Rose said.
Bolding mine.

What kind of damage is likely?

Thanks.

[muldoonthief]

The articles says they "inspected the system and made minor repairs", not the track specifically. So it could easily be signals or the overhead power lines or the like.

[md2000]

Does the Muni run on a third rail hanging by the side of the tracks, like the NYC subway? If so, an SUV could bend a few bits (like the third rail or cover position?) to mess up the positioning etc. Those aren't meant to be driven on or hit at speed with a ton or two of weight.

[Foggy]

The articles says they "inspected the system and made minor repairs", not the track specifically. So it could easily be signals or the overhead power lines or the like.
:smack::smack::smack:

Does the Muni run on a third rail hanging by the side of the tracks, like the NYC subway?

No, Muni uses overhead power lines.



They are now saying the driver was drunk. Color me surprise.:rolleyes:

[Ferret Herder]

It's possible the SUV "derailing" could have caused minor damage to switches or other bits that a normally-functioning train would never touch. Better to fix anything that seems awry than risk a train accident because of an idiot drunk driver.

[gotpasswords]

Where this guy wrecked is chock-full of wayside equipment, track switches, crossovers and sensors as a pair of surface rail lines go underground and connect with the main line.

The MUNI crews will probably drag a gage stick along the tracks to confirm they didn't get moved, but if that driver knocked out switch motors or wiring, that will take some effort to fix.

[Darryl Lict]

I'm impressed that the guy made it almost all the way to Van Ness from Church and Duboce.