Quote:For residents of our nation’s capital, news of a fire on the city’s rapid transit system—the Washington Metro—is not surprising. It catches fire and smokes quite regularly. At some points last year, there were reports of more than four fires per week (although there’s some dispute about that rate). There’s even the handy site—IsMetroOnFire.com—to check the current blaze status.

Yet, despite the common occurrence, residents may be surprised to learn a potential contributor to the system-wide sizzling: their own hair.

According to a safety specialist with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), a thick, felt-like layer of human hair, skin, and other debris has collected on the aging tracks of the city’s rails. In particular, hair has built up on insulators supporting the transit system’s electrified third rails, which run cables carrying 750 Volts of electricity to power the trains. The hair coating delivers a real threat of electrical sparks and fire.

“I was flabbergasted” at the amount of hair in the Metro, ATU specialist Brian Sherlock told a local NBC news station. “The amount of debris is just beyond vulgar to think of.”

Arcing and smoking insulators is a problem that has dogged Metro for years. In 2015, an arcing insulator was linked to a smoke incident that left one passenger dead and more than 80 others sickened by thick smog.

“A lot of the issues with the insulators is actually fiber and hair that literally comes off of people and clothing, and gets sucked up” and into the tunnels, Paul Wiedefeld, general manager of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, told NBC News.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/...-shedding/

This is kinda funny.

It reminds me of the massive slimy plug of hair that I pulled out of the sink drain in my daughter's bathroom.

(11-22-2017 01:36 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  ...reminds me of the massive slimy plug of hair that I pulled out of the sink drain...

(11-22-2017 01:36 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  This is kinda funny.

It reminds me of the massive slimy plug of hair that I pulled out of the sink drain in my daughter's bathroom.

Dem dayum extensions ?

A little off topic but I took Amtrak from Chicago to St. Louis yesterday (or 1 stop north of St. Louis) and I was shocked how little security there is at the Chicago Union Station. They did have one dog sniffing you as you got on the platform, but no x-ray machines of any type. We flew from St. Louis to Chicago on Monday and the difference in security is stark.

It really doesn't make you feel safe that future terrorist attacks can be thwarted.

i love the fact that amtrak doesn't have any security. same with greyhound and megabus. such freedom. if there was a terrorist event, i think i would understand and accept my fate

(11-22-2017 02:14 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  A little off topic but I took Amtrak from Chicago to St. Louis yesterday (or 1 stop north of St. Louis) and I was shocked how little security there is at the Chicago Union Station. They did have one dog sniffing you as you got on the platform, but no x-ray machines of any type. We flew from St. Louis to Chicago on Monday and the difference in security is stark.

It really doesn't make you feel safe that future terrorist attacks can be thwarted.

Does airport security make you feel safe?

(11-22-2017 04:55 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 02:14 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  A little off topic but I took Amtrak from Chicago to St. Louis yesterday (or 1 stop north of St. Louis) and I was shocked how little security there is at the Chicago Union Station. They did have one dog sniffing you as you got on the platform, but no x-ray machines of any type. We flew from St. Louis to Chicago on Monday and the difference in security is stark.

It really doesn't make you feel safe that future terrorist attacks can be thwarted.

Does airport security make you feel safe?

Once you get past the TSA lines, yes, I feel pretty safe. One could easily do a copy cat bombing in the front part of most terminals, similar to what you had last summer in Europe (was it Paris, can't remember the city but I know it was around early June 2016).

But you have more people on most trains than a plane and economically, the damage would be incredibly severe if someone blew up a train at a heavily populated intersection.

I actually thought the Amtrak ride was pretty comfortable. Outlets for chargers at every seat, decent enough (free) WIFI, and the food car in the back - I would think it would be more popular than planes if it wasn't so slow. It's tough to gauge whether a bullet train would work in America or not - I'm not sure the small towns it would pass through would want to put up with the noise and delays.

(11-22-2017 03:59 PM)Lush Wrote:  i love the fact that amtrak doesn't have any security. same with greyhound and megabus. such freedom. if there was a terrorist event, i think i would understand and accept my fate

A train cannot slam into a building.

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(11-22-2017 05:58 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 03:59 PM)Lush Wrote:  i love the fact that amtrak doesn't have any security. same with greyhound and megabus. such freedom. if there was a terrorist event, i think i would understand and accept my fate

A train cannot slam into a building.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

you sir, have quite the imagination. i forgot that terrorist events can only involve a plane crashing into a tall building. while your understanding of the train is indeed impressive (kudos), but couldn't a bomb of some fashion be brought aboard inside union station? i would also consider union station a building, wouldn't you? while not slamming into one (like superfly and a saucy dominican), more like imploding inside one.

(11-23-2017 09:03 AM)Lush Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 05:58 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 03:59 PM)Lush Wrote:  i love the fact that amtrak doesn't have any security. same with greyhound and megabus. such freedom. if there was a terrorist event, i think i would understand and accept my fate

A train cannot slam into a building.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

you sir, have quite the imagination. i forgot that terrorist events can only involve a plane crashing into a tall building. while your understanding of the train is indeed impressive (kudos), but couldn't a bomb of some fashion be brought aboard inside union station? i would also consider union station a building, wouldn't you? while not slamming into one (like superfly and a saucy dominican), more like imploding inside one.

Might as well just ban rail service. Nobody is going to use it if they have to go through TSA. Time/money says it is cheaper to hike it or cab it.

And yes, the damage a hijacked train can do is limited to the path of its tracks. You also don't need to walk in the front door to bomb union station. It is no different than bombing a federal building in, say, Oklahoma City. Maybe we should have TSA agents outside every neighborhood to make sure nobody is leaving with anything dangerous.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

(11-23-2017 09:22 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-23-2017 09:03 AM)Lush Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 05:58 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 03:59 PM)Lush Wrote:  i love the fact that amtrak doesn't have any security. same with greyhound and megabus. such freedom. if there was a terrorist event, i think i would understand and accept my fate

A train cannot slam into a building.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

you sir, have quite the imagination. i forgot that terrorist events can only involve a plane crashing into a tall building. while your understanding of the train is indeed impressive (kudos), but couldn't a bomb of some fashion be brought aboard inside union station? i would also consider union station a building, wouldn't you? while not slamming into one (like superfly and a saucy dominican), more like imploding inside one.

Might as well just ban rail service. Nobody is going to use it if they have to go through TSA. Time/money says it is cheaper to hike it or cab it.

And yes, the damage a hijacked train can do is limited to the path of its tracks. You also don't need to walk in the front door to bomb union station. It is no different than bombing a federal building in, say, Oklahoma City. Maybe we should have TSA agents outside every neighborhood to make sure nobody is leaving with anything dangerous.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

it's not even cheap to ride a train right now. but for some reason, people still do it. it's been a few years since i've ridden a train, but i'm a big fan. tsa would totally kill it for me

honestly if we killed amtrak and brought in light rail, i see massive potential

diverting from the hilarious news of the op. sorry

(11-23-2017 09:40 AM)Lush Wrote:  

(11-23-2017 09:22 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-23-2017 09:03 AM)Lush Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 05:58 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-22-2017 03:59 PM)Lush Wrote:  i love the fact that amtrak doesn't have any security. same with greyhound and megabus. such freedom. if there was a terrorist event, i think i would understand and accept my fate

A train cannot slam into a building.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

you sir, have quite the imagination. i forgot that terrorist events can only involve a plane crashing into a tall building. while your understanding of the train is indeed impressive (kudos), but couldn't a bomb of some fashion be brought aboard inside union station? i would also consider union station a building, wouldn't you? while not slamming into one (like superfly and a saucy dominican), more like imploding inside one.

Might as well just ban rail service. Nobody is going to use it if they have to go through TSA. Time/money says it is cheaper to hike it or cab it.

And yes, the damage a hijacked train can do is limited to the path of its tracks. You also don't need to walk in the front door to bomb union station. It is no different than bombing a federal building in, say, Oklahoma City. Maybe we should have TSA agents outside every neighborhood to make sure nobody is leaving with anything dangerous.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

it's not even cheap to ride a train right now. but for some reason, people still do it. it's been a few years since i've ridden a train, but i'm a big fan. tsa would totally kill it for me

honestly if we killed amtrak and brought in light rail, i see massive potential

diverting from the hilarious news of the op. sorry

I have never come across a situation in my professional life where the train has been a convenient means of traveling. The train coming back from Dee Cee leaves at 2PM so no afternoon meetings and if I stay overnight, I'm left holding my dick for 4 hours between checkout and train departure. Furthermore, very little of my business is actually in Dee Cee anymore so I am usually going to Fairyfax, or Herndon where the train is useless and then I am using a train/metro/cab combo that is grossly time consuming and inconvenient. Thirdly, the train to Union Station costs over $100. Driving costs a tank of gas or between $40-$50 round trip. Plus, when I drive I get personal mileage at somewhere near $0.55 per mile so I actually make money. Truly a no-brainer.

On a side note, on occasions where all my business is actually in DC, I do drive to Springfield, pay $5 to park as long as I need too, even overnight... and take the train from there to avoid $40 per day parking in the city. That is pretty rare though and really only happens if I am going to a conference or symposium.

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the train is for purely nostalgic purposes for me