7 ms·
It’s amazing that this isn’t a fire risk. In California they turn off the electricity when the wind blows during the dry season, and in NE we fire freaking lase
by zaroth 7y ago
It’s amazing that this isn’t a fire risk. In California they turn off the electricity when the wind blows during the dry season, and in NE we fire freaking laser beams at the leaves to eviscerate them.
- cbhl 7y agoThe New York trains I remember would make sparks all the time; I would suggest any dry tinder near the tracks would be a risk either way. California has electrical wires entangled with dry trees after years of drought. (Trees are tricky, since it takes years after installation for them to grow tall enough to reach the power lines. In the NE I've seen power outages caused by tree branches laden with ice from freezing rain sever power lines.)
- DonHopkins 7y agoWhy don't the same crews who rake the forests also rake the train tracks? ;)
- catalogia 7y agoMost places aren't nearly as flammable as California. Where I grew up people don't think twice about making a camp fire, but apparently that seems next to inconceivable to some people in California. Hell, many places have too much fresh water, not too little. "Dry season" isn't even a concept in many parts of the world.
- PhasmaFelis 7y agoThe east coast doesn't have a "dry season" in any sense California would recognize. If it did this system might not be needed: it sounds like the problem is wet leaves being compressed into lubricant slime where dry leaves would just be crushed to powder.
- StanislavPetrov 7y agoThe LIRR doesn't run in areas conducive to catching fire. They literally use open flames to defrost the rails when it gets cold. https://media.wired.com/photos/5932717eb8eb31692072f8f8/master/w_1680,c_limit/Autopia-Train-track-flames.jpg https://media.wired.com/photos/5932717eb8eb31692072f8f8/mast...