[locojoe]

Bird Strike
For many years, drivers of diesel and electric trains in the UK were at risk from bird strikes when working at speeds where a bird hitting the front of the train could penetrate the windscreen of the driving cab.

In an effort to provide a better degree of safety (and to reduce delays, of course), research was done to find a suitable toughened glass windscreen for drivers. As part of this research, advice was sought from airline suppliers, who suggested that a good test for any new glass type was to fire a chicken at high speed towards the window material. The test was duly set up and a number of dead chickens obtained.

The test with the first chicken showed that the glass was not tough enough, even though it was of a standard used by airlines. A second test also smashed the glass. Another test smashed the third windscreen. Repeated attempts showed that no glass could stand up to the chicken being fired at it. More advice was sought from the airline people, who could not understand why the glass they offered could withstand airborne bird strikes but kept failing the railway tests. They decided to come to witness the test.

The railway research team set up a new test and sent someone to obtain more chickens. When the chickens arrived, it was then the airline experts realised what was wrong. They told the railway research team, "You know, you do have to defrost the chickens first".