So a couple weeks ago a UP train in Speer, Wyoming lost brakes coming down a long steep incline. Which resulted in it colliding with another train at 50 mph and killing the run away train's crew.

I happen to work for UP and in Wyoming. Today I was getting taken to a soda ash train by my senior MTO. He was talking with my engineer about the crash and how hard it is to do anything at all to prepare for a crash.

I thought about what they said, the ballast chewing you up, rolling to avoid a hard impact with the ground, and all the shit you could hit on the right of way. I figured the safest way off is to slide off and onto the ground, on a sled. This should eliminate the impact forces and the sled will take the abrasion for you. A hardened nose to the sled and padded on the inside. The sled will protect your head and body from impacts of objects in the right of way.

The only thing left to solve is stability of the sled once freely sliding on the ground. You dont want it to flip, roll over, spin, or veer off. Especially dont want it to steer back in to the train and go under the axles.

If you are lowered on the right side of the locomotive. Then at least on double track you are between tracks and won't have things to slide into or go down a hill. The ballast should be groomed into a useful shape to help keep you sliding straight. Though you run a greater risk of going under the train.

If lowered on the left side or right side in single track. You have one side with the right of way maintenance road, and the other side will be just what ever is there next to the ballast. More chances to run into crap and wildly veer away. Though less likely to go under the train.

Being lowered between the rails is out of the question. While it would be the clearest and most easy to stabilize. You would be beaten to death by 300 glad hands and the plows would maim you.