Yeah “to stop them being blocked by the rail and giving up and going another direction” sounds much more accurate.
This conjures an image of a very determined Bert the Turtle smoking a cigarette and declaring “I’m gonna derail that fucking train.”
Turtle on the right is upside down and will die anyway, unless left turt helps flip him over.
?? Really ?? That’s good news. I’ve never seen a video of a turtle flipping itself over.
Yeah, looks like they can do it pretty easily. Here’s a video I found: https://youtu.be/UO0kar6EUwI
Wait, they can de-rail a train?
yeah i’m skeptical of that, trains weigh A LOT and i’d wager bone doesn’t much bother them.
Apparently, leaves that fall on the track are a significant issue that can cause derailments since they can turn into a lubricant when squished according to Forbes. I wouldn’t be surprised if turtles did the same (but don’t quote me on that)
With that said, the only thing I’ve actually found involving turtles are them getting stuck in switches
That article does not state that leaves can derail trains. The gunk/mulch that results from trains crushing leaves lubricates the wheels, which reduces the friction. That means it takes longer for the train to accelerate and brake. It can potentially be unable to stop as quickly as it should, which can potentially lead to more accidents, and then to more derailments. It contributes, it isn’t a cause.
It just reduces the wheel’s grip on the tracks a bit, not unlike how water on the road can reduce the grip of your tires. It’s still on the track, they’re not slipping off it like a cartoon stepping on a banana peel.
Looks like a covered utility trench, ironically with the cover off.
So a trench.
