October 23, 2007

Autumn Leaves Of Green

The recent hot temperatures aren't just keeping you in shorts until God-knows-when, probably sometime in mid-December. No, the hottest October on record -- average temperature: 67 degrees -- has also managed to screw up all the fall leaves changing color.

Leaves change color because cool fall nights destroy the chlorophyll which gives leaves a green color. Reds, yellows and the less fun browns can't show up if there's still a large amount of chlorophyll in the leaves, so that's why the tree across the street from you still makes it look like we're in the middle of summer.

The upside is an expected mild winter. Of course, that also means we all die of excessive heat next summer, or something like that.

Can't find colorful foliage? Blame the record warmth [Inquirer]
[Image by JoJan, licensed via Creative Commons]

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October 30, 2006

Philadelphia Will Do SEPTA Contest

Every fall, SEPTA has a problem with leaves. Leaves that fall on railroad tracks... well, let's just let this SEPTA sign from last year explain (Click here to view):

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, with cool temperatures and colorful leaves. Autumn, however presents a challenge for SEPTA rail systems. When falling leaves land on the railroad tracks and are pressed by passing trains, an oily residue is created that reduces traction between the steel wheels of the train and the rail. This causes "slippery rail" conditions that can result in delays because trains must operate at reduced speeds. Which gives us an excuse to be late.

I'm fairly sure that last part was added on the sign by an irate SEPTA customer. (Though, who knows.) As any regular SEPTA regional rail rider knows, leaves seem to fall on the tracks more often than one expects; after all, no SEPTA lines run through the forest. And so it's just another SEPTA frustration.

Perhaps knowing this, SEPTA has designed a machine that will clean the rails for them. A very good idea, of course. Here's how it works:

According to spokesman Felipe Suarez, SEPTA has designed a machine to eliminate the leaf problem and has built three of them.

"Since we've used these high-pressure washers, we've been able to cut down the number of delays on average by 1,000 trains."

How do they work?

"They move at about 15 miles an hour over the track, and blast water onto the tracks at 10,000 pounds per square inch."

Right. We're all thinking the same thing: When are these going to break down and cause delays of their own? You just know it's going to happen.

After the jump, a contest.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Will Do SEPTA Contest"

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