Author Topic: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire  (Read 2871 times)

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rangerrebew

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It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
Wavy jet stream to blame for polar vortex invasion. (And climate change may be, too).

Eric Berger - 1/30/2019, 10:26 AM
 
 

It is extremely cold in the Midwestern United States, where forecasters are warning of "life-threatening extreme cold." During the early Wednesday morning hours, much of the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois are locked down with these "feels like" temperatures in the -40s, -50s, and even -60s (Fahrenheit) as winds howl out of the west at up to 25mph.

The region's largest city, Chicago, likely will set a record Wednesday for the coldest day in the city's history. Sunrise temperatures in the city were -23°F, and high temperatures today were forecast to only reach -14°. The city's coldest day on record occurred on January 18, 1994, when the high only reached -11°. The city is even setting its railroad tracks on fire so that trains can run on them. The battle against the cold is much the same across the upper Midwest.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/01/polar-vortex-stops-by-the-upper-midwest-brings-record-low-temps/

Online Elderberry

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2019, 06:32:02 pm »
Quote
The city is even setting its railroad tracks on fire so that trains can run on them

Who woulda thunk.  The cold rails are shrinking and separating at the bolted connections at the switches. They have to warm(lengthen) the rails to reconnect them.

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2019, 07:12:10 pm »
I lived in Chicago during the '93 and '94 winters. I walked 15 blocks to work, every day.

Welcome kiddies to what winter used to be like.
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Offline dfwgator

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2019, 07:20:19 pm »
I lived in Chicago during the '93 and '94 winters. I walked 15 blocks to work, every day.

Welcome kiddies to what winter used to be like.

Sounds like perfect weather for football....


Offline thackney

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2019, 07:28:58 pm »
Sounds like perfect weather for football....



If you consider the 1950 Snow Bowl a perfect football game...

https://www.toledoblade.com/College/2000/11/15/1950-Snow-Bowl-a-game-for-all-time-Frozen-in-history.html
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Offline Fishrrman

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2019, 01:53:42 am »
Steel rail will contract from end to end when it's cold.
This can cause a "pull-apart" at a joint (the bolts break that hold the joint bars, and a space opens up between the two rail ends).
Or... a welded rail can just break on its own.

By applying heat to both sides of the break, the rail expands, the gap closes, and it can be bolted back together.

"The old way" was roped soaked with diesel fuel, laid along the base of the rail.

Here's short promo video for a newer product:

Sorry...

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2019, 03:59:27 am »
Steel rail will contract from end to end when it's cold.
This can cause a "pull-apart" at a joint (the bolts break that hold the joint bars, and a space opens up between the two rail ends).
Or... a welded rail can just break on its own.

By applying heat to both sides of the break, the rail expands, the gap closes, and it can be bolted back together.

"The old way" was roped soaked with diesel fuel, laid along the base of the rail.

Here's short promo video for a newer product:

Sorry...

Does that damage the ties?
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
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Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2019, 04:03:38 am »
I lived in Chicago during the '93 and '94 winters. I walked 15 blocks to work, every day.

Welcome kiddies to what winter used to be like.

I hear ya. I used to have to go out to the Shitcagoland area in the 90's to my corporate headquarters and the winters were just as miserable as I am seeing talked about here. I don't see what the big deal is except a slow news week.

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2019, 04:18:30 am »
I hear ya. I used to have to go out to the Shitcagoland area in the 90's to my corporate headquarters and the winters were just as miserable as I am seeing talked about here. I don't see what the big deal is except a slow news week.

Yeah, I've been there that time of the year too.  The wind makes it cold As Shucks.  Other times of the year, though I liked hiking around the inside of The Loop.  With the exception of the Federal buildings the architecture had soul.  Even the winos and corner Evangelical preachers were fun.  Back in the 70's, before Walkmans and Bluetooth ear buds, you knew when you saw people walking and taking to nobody, they were clearly insane.

Detroit just seemed like a good place to get murdered if you're a whitey.

Now, Chitcago is Deetroit.  I wonder what Deetroit is like?
« Last Edit: January 31, 2019, 05:38:43 am by Cyber Liberty »
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
Castillo del Cyber Autonomous Zone ~~~~~>                          :dontfeed:

Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2019, 04:24:42 am »
Yeah, I've been there that time of the year too.  The wind makes it cold AF.  Other times of the year, though I liked hiking around the inside of The Loop.  With the exception of the Federal buildings the architecture had soul.  Even the winos and corner Evangelical preachers were fun.  Back in the 70's, before Walkmans and Bluetooth ear buds, you knew when you saw people walking and taking to nobody, they were clearly insane.

Detroit just seemed like a good place to get murdered if you're a whitey.

Now, Chitcago is Deetroit.  I wonder what Deetroit is like?

10,000 empty houses with community gardens interspersed....



Nothing boosts a cities revenues to improve infrastructure and services like a hand full of filthy Leftists growing shitty tomatoes for free on a vacant lot.

Offline dfwgator

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2019, 04:26:06 am »
Steel rail will contract from end to end when it's cold.
This can cause a "pull-apart" at a joint (the bolts break that hold the joint bars, and a space opens up between the two rail ends).
Or... a welded rail can just break on its own.

By applying heat to both sides of the break, the rail expands, the gap closes, and it can be bolted back together.

"The old way" was roped soaked with diesel fuel, laid along the base of the rail.

Here's short promo video for a newer product:

Sorry...

But....but.....Rosie said that Fire can't melt steel.

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2019, 04:37:01 am »
10,000 empty houses with community gardens interspersed....



Nothing boosts a cities revenues to improve infrastructure and services like a hand full of filthy Leftists growing shitty tomatoes for free on a vacant lot.

I heard about that.  Those community gardens in Deetroit are insane.  I can't imagine a more contaminated soil than in Deetroit, with all that pre-60's industrialization.  The entire city is one big, fat Superfund site.

Last I heard, they were condemning entire city blocks and moving the people into concentrated areas because they can't maintain or energize the street lights, what with all the meth and crack heads ripping out all the live wires.  People from China are buying up houses at $1,000 a pop thinking it's a great deal...lol  Some of them actually get tourist Visas to check out their possible purchases and just laughed.  No deal.
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
Castillo del Cyber Autonomous Zone ~~~~~>                          :dontfeed:

Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2019, 04:41:52 am »
People from China are buying up houses at $1,000 a pop thinking it's a great deal...lol  Some of them actually get tourist Visas to check out their possible purchases and just laughed.  No deal.

The Chinamen were doing that because the needed to park money outside of Dear Leaders reach and they were buying into the Leftists hype that Detroit was on the grow, but since China's economy started taking a barrel roll into the dumpster they can't play that game anymore. That is why Real Estate market is getting soft in some areas.

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2019, 05:00:40 am »
The Chinamen were doing that because the needed to park money outside of Dear Leaders reach and they were buying into the Leftists hype that Detroit was on the grow, but since China's economy started taking a barrel roll into the dumpster they can't play that game anymore. That is why Real Estate market is getting soft in some areas.

Yup.  In the 70's it was the Saudis buying up the properties, later the Japanese, parking the excess cash here.  Maybe it was the Nips first, but you get the idea.  So maybe we just have Japs and Camel Jockeys selling their shit to the Chinese?

Hard to get worked up over that.  It's not like they're going to pick up a house and move it to China, Saudi Arabia or Japan.
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
Castillo del Cyber Autonomous Zone ~~~~~>                          :dontfeed:

Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2019, 05:05:41 am »


Hard to get worked up over that.  It's not like they're going to pick up a house and move it to China, Saudi Arabia or Japan.

No. The bigger problem is when a bunch of Somalis and other rag heads buy up real estate in an area and actually live there like Dearborn which I heard from an associate is like living in a Taliban encampment.

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #15 on: January 31, 2019, 05:13:15 am »
No. The bigger problem is when a bunch of Somalis and other rag heads buy up real estate in an area and actually live there like Dearborn which I heard from an associate is like living in a Taliban encampment.

Is that a real estate or immigration problem?  I understand the Somalis have pretty much turned Minneapolis into a shithole.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2019, 05:14:41 am by Cyber Liberty »
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
Castillo del Cyber Autonomous Zone ~~~~~>                          :dontfeed:

Offline uglybiker

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #16 on: January 31, 2019, 08:41:19 am »
I lived in Chicago during the '93 and '94 winters. I walked 15 blocks to work, every day.

Welcome kiddies to what winter used to be like.

Through 6 feet of snow!
Uphill!
Both ways!!!
nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-BATMAN!!!

Offline thackney

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #17 on: January 31, 2019, 01:02:25 pm »
But....but.....Rosie said that Fire can't melt steel.

Rosie comments aside, that fire is not melting steel, it is heating it up to make it expand.
Life is fragile, handle with prayer

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #18 on: January 31, 2019, 03:25:40 pm »
Through 6 feet of snow!
Uphill!
Both ways!!!

...and we LIKED it!

(How ya been, UB?  They decided to lay me off, so I just retired to Bullhead City.)
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
Castillo del Cyber Autonomous Zone ~~~~~>                          :dontfeed:

Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: It is so cold in Chicago they’re lighting railroad tracks on fire
« Reply #19 on: January 31, 2019, 03:29:07 pm »
Rosie comments aside, that fire is not melting steel, it is heating it up to make it expand.