This is a list of train-surfing injuries and deaths.
Overview
Common ways that accidents occur during train-surfing include people falling from the roof of the train, falling from the side of the train, falling underneath the wheels of a train, and colliding with an object located on the outside of the train such as a bridge, a signal bridge, a sign, a pole or another oncoming train.
Other ways accidents occur include when a person comes into contact with the overhead power lines on the roof of a train and receives an electric shock and when a person receives an electric shock without touching the overhead power line after receiving an electric arc that has moved over to their body through the air. Accidents also occur when people come into cotact with the trains pantograph.
Accidents have also occurred when people have attempted to create graffiti on the outside of trains and then collided with a passing object as well as people falling from a train after attempting to take a photo or selfie.
In relation to 41 train surfing accidents that occurred in Berlin between 1989–1995 it has been commented that "Collision with close-to-track obstacles and slipping from the train proved to be the major sources of danger.". Three medical studies have been underaken that looked into the electrical burns injuries that people have received after they were train surfing on the roof of a train and they received an electric shock.
Electric arcs
Overhead power lines on railways are able to create electric arcs and it has been commented that "Importantly, electrocution may occur even in the absence of direct contact, as high voltage arcs can discharge through the air and cause devastating injuries." In 2013 Julius Gerhardt was spraying graffiti on freight carriages when he climbed on top of a carriage to tag a bridge. He was holding a spray can in his right hand, and an electric arc jumped over to the spray can and went through his hand, arm, and chest, then exited out of his right foot. He lost consciousness and was then lifted up and carried to a street by the people who were with him. He was in a coma in hospital for 36 hours, and then later put into a medically induced coma for a week. He received burns to over 90% of his body. Gerhardt commented that "I didn't know about arcs. In the arc, like lightning, electricity is conducted through the air. I had the spray can in my right hand. When I raised my hand, the metal became an antenna. The air transmitted the voltage—and I flew off the train car." It has further been commented that "...it is quite possible that from a distance of one meter, a breakdown [electric arc] will occur on a wristwatch, a phone in a pocket or a belt buckle, that is, on any metal object."
For an electric arc to occur there does not need to be a metallic object on a persons body as the high amount of water in human bodies is enough to create an electric arc and it has been commented that "...on the roof of an electric train, there is a risk of injury due to electric shock at a distance of up to 1.5 meters from the high-voltage contact wire. That is, to receive a strong electric shock, it is not necessary to touch the wire - it is enough to be in close proximity. The nominal voltage of the contact wire is 3000 volts. Under operating conditions, it varies from 2000 to 4000 volts. The distance at which the electric current strikes varies depending on the voltage in the contact network and climatic conditions - for example, humidity or air temperature."
In 2013 a 15 year-old was train surfing in Scotland when an electric arc jumped over to his body from overhead power lines. He was taken to hospital and was in a critical but stable condition, and it was thought that he had not "...touched the cables but was struck by an arc of electricity after getting too close to the wires." In 2012, a 17-year-old in Ebersberg climbed onto the roof of a train; after the train moved a few metres, he was hit by an electric arc, and the train stopped moving due to a short circuit. He fell off the side of the train and received burns to 75% of his body. He was put into an artificial coma and was in a very critical condition. At the time of the accident it was commented that "The current radiates from a cable like that up to 1.5 meters away. This is called an arc. So you don't even have to touch the line directly to get an electric shock...".
Data of train-surfing injuries and deaths LocationTime periodOveralltotal accidentsDiedInjuredAustralia – Melbourne1990–19923AustriaJan 1994 – Dec 2008112Austria1994 – 202432Brazil – Rio de Janeiro1990160Brazil – São Paulo199034Brazil – Rio de JaneiroAugust 1991 – August 2000200100Germany – Berlin1989–19954118Russia – Moscow and Moscow Oblast201217Russia – Moscow and Moscow OblastJanuary – June 2014316Russia – Moscow and Moscow Oblast201448Russia – Moscow and Moscow Oblast20151312Russia – Moscow1 January – 20 August 20185Russia – Nizhny Novgorod201712Russia – Moscow region, St Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk regionJanuary - May 20258Russia – Central Federal District2012415Russia – Central Federal District201316Russia – Central Federal District20151624Russia – Central Federal DistrictApril–June 20164Russia – Central Federal District20169Russia – Central Federal District201714Russia – Central Federal District20242520Russia – Central Federal District20252811South Africa200610019Ukraine201310Ukraine1 January – 29 July 20147Ukraine201616Ukraine201712United KingdomIn the years prior to August 19957United KingdomApril 2005 – March 20156United States – New York1989–20111356
Train-surfing injuries and deaths