Just for a brief tl;dr: Before the completion of the Transcontinental RR (~1863), the first transcontinental telegraph was completed in the early 1850's... it'

Just for a brief tl;dr: Before the completion of the Transcontinental RR (~1863), the first transcontinental telegraph was completed in the early 1850's... it's because of the length of conductivity that the morse keys were literally sparking during the Carrington Solar Disturbances (all the collected solar energy caused the relays to self-tap/arc). More recently, Quebec has had several 201X localized brownouts, largely along their longer-distance, high-voltage lines (which ironically enough gather renewable/hydro energy). During more active times of the solar cycle (a cycle longer than a dozen years), there are still issues / risks of similar events occurring in real time. Lloyds has a specific insurance that is for solar storm coverage (which could be a potentially trillions-of-dollars global interruption. ---- Sweet Dreams