[supercat]

Would it be practical to include an unoccupied 'crushable' car on the leading end of a pusher-train? The control cab should be rigid, of course, but the rest could be filled with some compressable fluid medium.

Would that be at all helpful in reducing the difference in risk between 'puller' and 'pusher' trains?

[Servant of the 9]

Would it be practical to include an unoccupied 'crushable' car on the leading end of a pusher-train? The control cab should be rigid, of course, but the rest could be filled with some compressable fluid medium.

Would that be at all helpful in reducing the difference in risk between 'puller' and 'pusher' trains?

It wouldn't help. What is needed is the weight of the engine to stay on the track and push the obstruction away. The other problem is that once the front stops, the pushing engine plows the intervening cars off the track.

All that is needed is for the switch yard to make up all trains with engine forward. It's just a matter of convenience which way they are connected.

SO9