It's physics. It wasn't t-boned. Heavy load in one end light in the other. The train hit the cab and drew it along. That swung the box into the train. That impact caused the box to rebound. The front of the box tuck the ground and it recoiled back along side the track in the direction the train was approaching from.
It is a matter of weight distribution in the box and it's center of gravity. The eccentric motions after being hit are the result of the box being pulled forward by the motion of the train, but recoiling backwards when the front of the box jammed into the ground and spinning around. A fully loaded garbage truck runs about 25 tons (I just looked it up). Most for that weight is the machinery in back to compress the garbage. I believe that when the front jammed into the ground, the box flex and then pushed backwards. I'd love to set up a simulation for this but I don't quite have the chops for it. My physics is more energy oriented.
That doesn't look like a typical garbage truck. Don't forget the pivot point of the bed is probably over the rear axles for a normal garbage truck set up.
view the rest of the comments →
Inara__Serra ago
It's physics. It wasn't t-boned. Heavy load in one end light in the other. The train hit the cab and drew it along. That swung the box into the train. That impact caused the box to rebound. The front of the box tuck the ground and it recoiled back along side the track in the direction the train was approaching from.
WhiteRonin ago
Here's a video of trains hitting various vehicles . https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G1f-EBzS_lg&feature=youtu.be
I don't see how the debris would go down track that far.
Inara__Serra ago
It is a matter of weight distribution in the box and it's center of gravity. The eccentric motions after being hit are the result of the box being pulled forward by the motion of the train, but recoiling backwards when the front of the box jammed into the ground and spinning around. A fully loaded garbage truck runs about 25 tons (I just looked it up). Most for that weight is the machinery in back to compress the garbage. I believe that when the front jammed into the ground, the box flex and then pushed backwards. I'd love to set up a simulation for this but I don't quite have the chops for it. My physics is more energy oriented.
WhiteRonin ago
That doesn't look like a typical garbage truck. Don't forget the pivot point of the bed is probably over the rear axles for a normal garbage truck set up.
Inara__Serra ago
https://imgoat.com/uploads/778d5d219c/81587.jpg
Right. Most of weight is in the rear. You can see all of the heavy machinery in that pic. After it was hit, you can dismiss the cab.
The article I found said the average truck carries about 9 tons of garbage and other ~16 tons is the truck