“Hot train” is a term used in the US rail community to warn of immediate danger. It can refer to a track about to be used or an electrified rail, both of which pose serious risks to those who come into contact with them. Verbal and visual alerts are critical to avoid accidents.
In the United States rail community, the term “hot train” is used in two different ways. In both cases, the term is used to convey a sense of immediate danger so that people are aware of a situation that may be unsafe. A hot rail can refer to a track about to be used, or an electrified rail. When people are warned to stay away from a hot rail, they must comply as they could risk serious injury or death.
In the first sense, a hot rail is a length of track that is about to be used by a train or maintenance vehicle. Especially at switchyards, people may refer to hot rails frequently when trains are moving, usually using a track number to alert people which rail in the yard is about to get hot. This is designed to allow people time to move away so that a train can pass. In rare cases where a section of track is actively used by a train and someone shouts a hot train warning, it gives the train crew time to issue a warning in exchange for asking the other train to wait so they can clear the via.
While trains are notorious for being very noisy and tend to cause disturbance on the tracks as they approach, which can alert people to an oncoming train, sometimes a train can sneak up on people. This is why hot rail warnings are important. Especially since many rail yard workers wear hearing protection so that their noisy work environment does not damage their hearing, it is critical that people near the tracks receive verbal and visual alerts when a train is approaching so they have time to avoid it
The other type of hot rail is an electrified rail used to supply power to trains. Many metro and subway systems power their trains with a hot train in this way. These rails are very dangerous to touch and are usually guarded to reduce the risk of injury. They are said to be “hot” in the sense of “living with electricity,” a slang term also used in other electrical-related settings in the United States.
Signage usually indicates the presence of a third rail and warns people to move away. Such signs are often graphic as well as textual, so people do not need to be able to read the sign to understand that a hazard exists in the area.
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