Barrier with cable system

A protective barrier comprising:

• a first hollow end piece including a first rail receiving opening;
• a first anchoring member disposed in the first hollow end piece and securing the first hollow end piece to a surface, the first anchoring member including a first bracket with a first lower flange portion and a first upper flange portion, the first lower flange portion of the first bracket having a first fastener extending therethrough, through a portion of the first hollow end piece, and into the surface;
• a second hollow end piece including a second rail receiving opening;
• a second anchoring member disposed in the second hollow end piece and securing the second hollow end piece to the surface, the second anchoring member including a second bracket with a second lower flange portion and a second upper flange portion, the second lower flange portion of the bracket having a second fastener extending therethrough, through a portion of the second hollow end piece, and into the surface;
• a hollow rail extending between the first hollow end piece and the second hollow end piece, the hollow rail having a first end disposed in the first rail receiving opening of the first hollow end piece, a second end disposed in the second rail receiving opening of the hollow second end piece, and a length extending between the first end and the second end, the hollow rail having a channel extending along the length;
• a cable extending through the channel of the hollow rail and having a first end fastened to the first upper flange portion of the first bracket and a second end fastened to the second upper flange portion of the second bracket;
• wherein the protective barrier includes the following configurations:
• a first configuration where the hollow rail is undeformed and the cable is separated from an interior surface of the channel in the hollow rail by a first distance, the first configuration being associated with an unimpacted state of the protective barrier,
• a second configuration, upon impact, where the hollow rail is deformed by an impact and the cable is separated from the interior surface of the channel in the rail by a second distance, less than the first distance, the second configuration being associated with a first level of impact absorption where the rail absorbs a force of the impact, and
• a third configuration, upon impact, where the hollow rail is deformed by the impact and the cable in in contact with the interior surface of the channel in the hollow rail, the third configuration being associated with a second level of impact absorption greater than the first level of impact absorption where the rail and the cable absorb a force of the impact, the cable preventing the hollow rail from being propelled from first and second end pieces in an uncontrolled manner.