Time out

[Mr C Price]

Did anyone suffer a problem about 1730 today? All I got was a "modem
reported an error" message.

Gave up about 1750 but tried again now - 1930 - and all seems restored.

Chris.

[Bill (Adopt)]

Post by Mr C Price
Did anyone suffer a problem about 1730 today? All I got was a "modem
reported an error" message.
Gave up about 1750 but tried again now - 1930 - and all seems restored.

From memory that could be a problem anywhere along the
line - most often just a (fortunately rare) glitch in
BT's almighty infrastructure..

ie ..the 'line' was down, was using the wrong sort of
electricity or, (likely), had a BT Techie breathing
corrosive long-lunch lager-laden breath upon it.. ;))

Bill ZFC

[Mr C Price]

Post by Bill (Adopt)
ie ..the 'line' was down, was using the wrong sort of
electricity or, (likely), had a BT Techie breathing
corrosive long-lunch lager-laden breath upon it.. ;))
Bill ZFC

AKA to the old BR "wrong sort of leaves on the line" ;-) ?

Chris.

[Russell Hafter News]

In article

Post by Mr C Price

Post by Bill (Adopt)
ie ..the 'line' was down, was using the wrong sort of
electricity or, (likely), had a BT Techie breathing
corrosive long-lunch lager-laden breath upon it.. ;))
Bill ZFC

AKA to the old BR "wrong sort of leaves on the line" ;-) ?

Err, no.

What the twit-faced spokesperson mentioned was "the wrong
kind of snow" meaning that the type of snow that had fallen
had not been taken into account when the design spec was
drawn up.

As any fule no, there are hundreds of different words in the
Eskimo language for snow, indicating the existence of many
different types.

"Leaves on the line" is another problem entirely. This is a
universal problem wherever there are rail vehicles running
through areas where there are deciduous trees. It does not
occur in deserts or praries, as there are no trees to supply
the leaves. Apart from that, leaves on the line is a major
and expensive problem for all rail operators.

[Bill (Adopt)]

Post by Russell Hafter News
In article

Post by Mr C Price
AKA to the old BR "wrong sort of leaves on the line" ;-) ?

;))

Post by Russell Hafter News
As any fule no, there are hundreds of different words in the
Eskimo language for snow, indicating the existence of many
different types.

..even for the yellow variety!

..although the Innuit, (Eskimo), these days tend to
use virtual 24MB broad-band skidoos when out in the
white-stuff. Shopping for pre-packaged baby-seal
from the Hudson Bay Co., or from the Sears' catalogue,
is much less messy - and warmer - than it used to be..

..unless you're one of Mr. S. Claus' gnomes... ;))

Bill ZFC

[Tennant Stuart]

Post by Russell Hafter News
As any fule no, there are hundreds of different words in the
Eskimo language for snow

Urban myth - AFAIR they have six words for snow, less than English.


Tennant Stuart

[Ben Crick]

Post by Russell Hafter News
"Leaves on the line" is another problem entirely. This is a
universal problem wherever there are rail vehicles running
through areas where there are deciduous trees. It does not
occur in deserts or prairies, as there are no trees to supply
the leaves. Apart from that, leaves on the line is a major
and expensive problem for all rail operators.

Aeons and aeons ago "when I were a lad" all the railway companies
had a policy of short grass only on the tracksides. The "leaves
on the line" problem was an unknown item until the ecology lobby got
BR and London Transport to save money by now mowing the tracksides
to encourage foxes and other vermin living along the lines. They
talked grandly of "Linear Wildlife Parks" connecting the inner city
with the rural hinterland out in the sticks.

They saved money on grasscutting; but spend more on removing the
sticky leaf mulch from the traction rails and the conductor rails
every autumn. Foxes are doing very well nowadays without
encouraging them to colonise the inner cities, where they raid the
litter bins and refuse sacks every night. This problem may reduce
when all households have Wheelie Bins which foxes cannot overturn.

Ben

[Russell Hafter News]

Post by Ben Crick
Aeons and aeons ago "when I were a lad" all the railway
companies had a policy of short grass only on the
tracksides. The "leaves on the line" problem was an
unknown item until the ecology lobby got BR and London
Transport to save money by now mowing the tracksides to
encourage foxes and other vermin living along the lines.
They talked grandly of "Linear Wildlife Parks"
connecting the inner city with the rural hinterland out
in the sticks.
They saved money on grasscutting; but spend more on
removing the sticky leaf mulch from the traction rails
and the conductor rails every autumn.

Sorry Ben, but I do not see what grasscutting has to do with
leaves falling from deciduous trees!

It is a major problem in the centre of Amsterdam, on the
tram tracks. There are plenty of tress, but no grass!

[Ben Crick]

Post by Russell Hafter News
Sorry Ben, but I do not see what grasscutting has to do with
leaves falling from deciduous trees!

The grasscutting cuts off the tree seedlings before they can
grow into trees and shed leaves all over the tracks.

The railways need to mount a major lineside tree felling campaign.
You can bet that the "tree-huggers" won't permit this.

Ben

[Stuart]

Post by Ben Crick
Aeons and aeons ago "when I were a lad" all the railway companies
had a policy of short grass only on the tracksides. The "leaves
on the line" problem was an unknown item until the ecology lobby got
BR and London Transport to save money by now mowing the tracksides
to encourage foxes and other vermin living along the lines. They
talked grandly of "Linear Wildlife Parks" connecting the inner city
with the rural hinterland out in the sticks.

The change from steam to other forms of traction is also a factor.

All steam locomotives had sanding gear which allowed them to increase the
available traction. Diesel railcars and there ilk have no such provision.

[Russell Hafter News]

Post by Stuart

Post by Ben Crick
Aeons and aeons ago "when I were a lad" all the
railway companies had a policy of short grass only on
the tracksides. The "leaves on the line" problem was
an unknown item until the ecology lobby got BR and
London Transport to save money by now mowing the
tracksides to encourage foxes and other vermin living
along the lines. They talked grandly of "Linear
Wildlife Parks" connecting the inner city with the
rural hinterland out in the sticks.

The change from steam to other forms of traction is also
a factor.
All steam locomotives had sanding gear which allowed them
to increase the available traction. Diesel railcars and
there ilk have no such provision.

Are you sure?

I cannot quote chapter and verse at present, but I would be
amazed if that were true. I am sure that I have frequently
read about sanding gear on modern locos and multiple units
of all types.

Modern locos for heavy freight use have computer controlled
drives which prevent wheel slip as far as possible, though
this is certainly not the case on trams and local dmss and
emus.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by Russell Hafter News
Modern locos for heavy freight use have computer controlled
drives which prevent wheel slip as far as possible, though
this is certainly not the case on trams and local dmss and
emus.

I've oft wondered why modern suburban trains don't. I walk the dog past
Wandsworth Common station every day and the trains on the down line always
seem to loose traction when starting off if it's raining - it's a bit of
an incline and on a curve.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by Stuart

Post by Ben Crick
Aeons and aeons ago "when I were a lad" all the railway companies
had a policy of short grass only on the tracksides. The "leaves
on the line" problem was an unknown item until the ecology lobby got
BR and London Transport to save money by now mowing the tracksides
to encourage foxes and other vermin living along the lines. They
talked grandly of "Linear Wildlife Parks" connecting the inner city
with the rural hinterland out in the sticks.

The change from steam to other forms of traction is also a factor.
All steam locomotives had sanding gear which allowed them to increase the
available traction. Diesel railcars and there ilk have no such provision.

You also *had* to keep track side vegetation under control to prevent
fires...

[Richard Travers]

Post by Russell Hafter News
As any fule no, there are hundreds of different words in the
Eskimo language for snow, indicating the existence of many
different types.

Not evenly remotely true, it seems.


R