[Magdalen] ATTN The Scotts !!!

[Jay Weigel]

My freshman year of college was spent at a small church-affiliated (UCC)
school where women were expected to wear skirts or dresses to class and in
the dining hall. In cold weather we always hoped for "pants permission" so
we could wear slacks (never jeans!) and would cluster around the dorm
bulletin boards hoping to see a notice to that effect. When I transferred
to UW-Madison, women were still mostly wearing skirts and dresses but we
didn't wait for permission to change into cold weather clothing when the
weather became ridiculously cold. Climbing Bascom Hill with the icy winds
off Lake Mendota was not something one wanted to endure in a miniskirt!

Cady, up there we called it "Shambana". (g/d/r)

On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 12:13 PM Roger Stokes via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

> On 31/01/2019 16:34, Scott Knitter wrote:
> > I think I read that there's an actual system of gas lines to provide fire
> > to the tracks near switches (where a piece of track moves to divert the
> > train one way or another). The main thing is to get rid of ice and snow
> > that might block the switch from switching, which would make it
> impossible
> > for the train to take the intended route, or worst case, might derail a
> > train.
>
> I don't know if they've changed to fixed lines as I haven't seen them
> for a few years but this side of the pond they used to have propane
> heaters for the same purpose.
>
> > I think there's also an issue with the flexibility of the
> rails...Normally,
> > rails have some "give" to allow for shifts in weight, different train
> > speeds, etc., and that's why the tracks have to be periodically measured
> > and adjusted to maintain a precise width apart (I think there are devices
> > that ride the rails and help do this, or at least the measurements). Some
> > tracks are continuously welded, so there are no gaps, but others are
> bolted
> > in in sections, with tiny gaps. If ultra-freezing weather happens, the
> > flexibility the rails have goes away, and sections of rail can go out of
> > alignment with others, with danger of derailment.
>
> A few months ago there was a series of TV programmes about Paddington
> station in London. One section was about replacing a length of cracked
> rail and their problem was the heat last Summer. Obviously this would
> make the rail stretch and if it was too hot they were beyond the ability
> of the fastenings to keep the rail the right length without buckling.
> Nowadays we have concrete rather than wooden ties in most places but
> someone still needs to walk the lines to look for any problems,
> preferably before they become an issue for the trains.
>
> Roger
>
>
>