Have you ever pulled the alarm chain on a train. In order to get a non-stopping train to stop at your station?

Question

Granted you can't do it these days as most trains have sliding doors you can't open yourself. But to illustrate my point, if you were on the fast Weymouth to Waterloo express and you wanted to get off at Woking, you could pull the chain just as soon as you saw the line from Guildford feed in from the right. With the emergency brakes applied the train would slow from 90 mph to stop at the platforms of Woking station some mile and a quarter down the line. Apparently (as I never tried it).
Then if you were a quick runner you could hot foot it out of the station, with the exit ticket barrier staff none the wiser.

Of course you had to have a valid ticket for this to work lol

rdenig_male · Accepted Answer

What a stupid idea. All you would achieve would be to delay all the trains behind the one you were on whilst the emergency stop was investigated and the brakes reset, a knock on effect which would probably last all day, thus annoying 1000s of other people. You personally would likely be arrested and fined (not put in a bull pen, luckily, as we don't have these in England) You might get a criminal record (see my answer to the guy whose friend has been fined for fare evasion).

Amy J · Answer

You could do it and it would probably work but once the train stopped you would have to open the doors by opening the emergency door release panel (usually near the door) and then pushing open the left half of the door

(doing any of this will sound an alarm and is illegal except in the event of a real emergency)

mariner31 · Answer

Absolutely NOT !!  Here in California, there are placards mounted NEXT to the "Emergency Stop" levers that point out that use in a NON-Emergency is a crime that the railway WILL prosecute.

Interestingly, there is ALSO a button for summoning a conductor in an emergency... for which there is ALSO a placard that states use in a non-emergency is a crime.

There are also placards that state that ASSAULT on a railway employee is a FELONY and will be prosecuted.

DanKohner · Answer

You can do it, but it is an emergency break and for EMERGENCIES only!  If you pull it and there is no emergency, it is a federal offense.  We  arrested a guy for doing that and then jumping off the train.  Don't every do it, it is not worth it.

? · Answer

I did this one time because some villain tied me to the tracks and there I was screaming and kicking but luckily the conductor saw me and stopped right before I was a goner.

David S · Answer

You would be arrested. There are at least 10 other trains between Woking and London per hour that are sheduled to stop there, so its pointless too.

aviophage · Answer

They will put you in a "bull-pen" cell where large, ill-shaven blokes will do things you don't want to you from behind.

Not worth it.  Try taking a train that stops where you want to go.

RAH RAH · Answer

No it should only be done in an emergency and not for silly stupid things like that

mobilemark · Answer

you can do this only if your name is Lucille ball
otherwise you will be in a lot of trouble and the even get
bannded from railing the railroad for ever

trainzmaster · Answer

How stupid - that's like saying you'd like a bus to stop outside your house just becuase it goes by it.

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Have you ever pulled the alarm chain on a train. In order to get a non-stopping train to stop at your station?

14 Answers