A NEW bLAWg FEATURE: WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
Courtesy of Joel Garreau
Fall foliage. A beautiful sight, but not for trains. In fact, fallen leaves can accumulate and adhere to a train track like tarred feathers, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation — not to mention delays. Commuters really dislike delays. What to do? How about annihilating leaves with lasers? Laser-outfitted rail wheels take care of (think Tony Soprano) compacted leaves before a train makes contact, thanks to Dutch Railways. The lasers also act as blow-dryers — drying rails to prevent new leaves from adhering, increasing a train’s functionality. So what could go wrong? A train’s vibration could direct a laser’s attention elsewhere … but people are working on that issue, given the laser’s advantages over other options. Read more here.