The ash cloud from the Iceland volcano has revealed the weakness and instability of international air travel--and the governments that both support and regulate it
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This is an enormous, giant economy-sized version of a small problem I had traveling by train about twenty years ago. On my way from Seattle to Chicago on Amtrak's Empire Builder in June, we traveled through some 90+ degree temperatures through eastern Montana and North Dakota.
This, I was told, caused the rails to expand and slowed the train down from 80 to 60 mph, causing us to arrive in Chicago about four hours late, which caused a great many folks on the train to miss their connections to other trains. I was lucky. I originally had a four and a half hour layover in Chicago and managed to sprint and make my connection to the Cardinal, heading towards DC.
This is my point, though. Great Plains in June? Chances are it's going to be hot. Chances are really quite overwhelming that it's going to be hot. Why on earth they couldn't build this probability into the railroad timetables is sort of beyond me. The small percentage of time that it isn't hot? Spend a little more time in the intervening stations and arrive in Chicago a little early. Much better than having to put people up in hotels for a couple of nights because their connection only runs three times a week...
The same reason why "leaves on the line" in the UK cause drastic delays. In autumn (fall) there are leaves every year, right? It's been happening for millions of years. And they know that "the wrong sort of leaves" (soggy ones) on the tracks cause the trains to slip, this has been known for at least 150 years. But still that's the excuse every year...
It's greed. Planning ahead costs money, whereas passenger delays don't (or cost less, they have loads of clauses absolving them from most compensation). As far as transport companies are concerned the only purpose of passengers is to give them money.
"Leaves on the line" has a technical element. Trains used to use clasp brakes acting on the tyre surfaces, which kept them clean. These days it's mostly regen, with discs for final stopping, neither of which act on the tyres. So being environmentally conscious contributes to the problem...
This, I was told, caused the rails to expand and slowed the train down from 80 to 60 mph, causing us to arrive in Chicago about four hours late, which caused a great many folks on the train to miss their connections to other trains. I was lucky. I originally had a four and a half hour layover in Chicago and managed to sprint and make my connection to the Cardinal, heading towards DC.
This is my point, though. Great Plains in June? Chances are it's going to be hot. Chances are really quite overwhelming that it's going to be hot. Why on earth they couldn't build this probability into the railroad timetables is sort of beyond me. The small percentage of time that it isn't hot? Spend a little more time in the intervening stations and arrive in Chicago a little early. Much better than having to put people up in hotels for a couple of nights because their connection only runs three times a week...
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It's greed. Planning ahead costs money, whereas passenger delays don't (or cost less, they have loads of clauses absolving them from most compensation). As far as transport companies are concerned the only purpose of passengers is to give them money.
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