# Pennies on RR Tracks

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-on-rr-tracks/54708>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 16, 2001, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-on-rr-tracks/54708 "2001-02-16T06:33:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-on-rr-tracks/54708/41 "2001-02-20T22:37:34Z")

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I can attest that The Authorities do not look kindly upon this activity. I’d collected many a squashed penny in my day (60’s), but one time I was nabbed by a plainclothes person who identified himself as a “railroad inspector”, who gave me a ride home and gave my father a stern lecture on the dangers of this wanton destructive activity.

After he left, my father (whom I always suspected of being a former penny squasher) gave me a half-hearted “don’t be so dumb as to get caught”.

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**Author:** ![Pudgy\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Pudgy\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pudgy_Dog)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-on-rr-tracks/54708/42 "2001-02-20T23:00:47Z")

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Every time I try to place a coin on the tracks, they disappear. But, I’m usually dealing with fully loaded coal cars.

In Mount Pleasant, Iowa, someone welded a piece of aluminum to one track that was just short of reaching the other. As the metals expanded, they maid contact, triggered a crossing and stopped trains.

A West Burlington volunteer firefighter was commenting on the dangers of responding to an accident at a rail crossing that didn’t involve a train. All the firefighters were worried a train would come along and make it worse. None of them knew that they just had to use a pair of jumper cables to short the system and bring any trains to a halt.

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**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-on-rr-tracks/54708/43 "2001-02-21T01:32:25Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Krispy Original \*  
> \*\*I’m enjoying this thread, but I’m kinda surprised that the mods allow it. Illegal tresspassing and all…and sheesh, if someone would happen to derail a train as a direct result of information and ideas learned in this thread…my gosh…think of the liability! \*\*

The train of common sense is coming down the track. You could swing on behind and catch a clue.

your humble TubaDiva  
But if you prefer to be left a mule to ride, that’s your business.

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**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-on-rr-tracks/54708/44 "2001-02-21T18:39:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> None of them knew that they just had to use a pair of jumper cables to short the system and bring any trains to a halt.

So if my car stalls on the railroad tracks, and I can’t push it off, should I short the rails together to warn any oncoming train?

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