Because of your knowledge of physics, you have been assigned to investigate a train wreck between a fast moving passenger train and a slower moving freight train both going in the same direction. You have statements from the engineer of each train and the stationmaster, as well as some measurements you make. To check the consistency of the description of events leading up to the collision, you decide to calculate the distance from the station that the collision should have occurred if everyone’s statements were accurate. You will then compare that result to the actual position of the wreck that is 0.5 miles from the station. In this calculation you decide that you can ignore all reaction times. Here is what you know: • The stationmaster claims that she noted that the freight train was behind schedule. As regulations require, she switched on a warning light just as the last car of the freight train passed her. • The freight train engineer says he was going at a constant speed of 10 miles per hour. • The passenger train engineer says she was going at the speed limit of 50 miles per hour when she approached the warning light. Just as she reached the warning light she saw it go on and immediately hit the brakes. • The train reaches the warning light 2.0 miles before it gets to the station. • The passenger train’s breaks slow it down at a constant rate of 1.0 miler per hour for each minute they are applied.
Because of your knowledge of physics, you have been assigned to investigate a train wreck between a fast moving passenger train and a slower moving freight train both going in the same direction. You have statements from the engineer of each train and the stationmaster, as well as some measurements you make. To check the consistency of the description of events leading up to the collision, you decide to calculate the distance from the station that the collision should have occurred if everyone’s statements were accurate. You will then compare that result to the actual position of the wreck that is 0.5 miles from the station. In this calculation you decide that you can ignore all reaction
times. Here is what you know:
• The stationmaster claims that she noted that the freight train was behind schedule. As regulations require, she switched on a warning light just as the last car of the freight train passed her.
• The freight train engineer says he was going at a constant speed of 10 miles per hour.
• The passenger train engineer says she was going at the speed limit of 50 miles per hour when she approached the warning light. Just as she reached the warning light she saw it go on and immediately hit the brakes.
• The train reaches the warning light 2.0 miles before it gets to the station.
• The passenger train’s breaks slow it down at a constant rate of 1.0 miler per hour for each minute they are applied.
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