Working from home

@calicuz You all have been getting hit pretty hard lately, while it just sort of skirts by us here in Columbia.

@DunningKruger

I know, I can't wait until this year's winter is over.

@JimboSaturn It is. Even that walk to the railway station was difficult and dangerous with a thin film of ice on everything. One part was on concrete steps but those had a hand-rail. Otherwise I was using front-garden walls as support.

It had one unexpected effect on the worst morning. The station is on a long, steep incline, and far more than usual were using it because they could not drive to work We set off, but even with so many powered wheels our heavily-laden electric multiple-unit train ground to a halt only about half a mile further due to the icy rails.

The driver kept us informed, telling us he was obtaining permission to run "wrong line" (double-track route) all the way back to the terminus on level ground 3 or 4 miles down the hill. From there, once the driver had clearance, we took a run at it! We charged through the uphill station but slowed drastically on the steep half-mile just beyond.

Everyone went very quiet.....

Luckily we just did it, reaching dry rails inside a short tunnel, enough to help us into the longer tunnel just beyond that, and over the summit.

@JimboSaturn Oh, I don't suppose anyone was at all alarmed. More likely worried if we would reach our destinations. After all, in returning to the start the train driver was not doing anything unusual apart from using the opposite line, with clearance to do so.

The driver only needed walk from the cab at one end of the train to that at the other, and drive in the normal way down the incline.

I don't know the speed-limit on that stretch - probably 60 or 70mph - but I doubt we exceeded it. We might not even have reached it but it did seem fast.