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| Seattle Quake |
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Seattle sits on the type of ground that would
amplify the effects of an earthquake.
Scientists can't offer a firm prediction when
the next one will happen...only the certainty
that it will.
See All National Geographic Videos
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/?so
urce=4001
Tags : Seattle Washington earthquake ground |
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Affichage : 143334
Durée : 207 s |
| Seattle Bus Tunnel |
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Buses operating in dedicated transit tunnels
are very rare. One city where this used to be
done was Seattle, Washington State, USA.
Originally opening in September 1990, and
wholly located within the city's 'free
travel' zone the 1 & 1/3rd mile (2.1km)
tunnels were served by a fleet of Italian
Breda duobuses, with some services providing
a direct link to the city's airport.
It featured 5 stations which opened on
Mondays - Saturdays only. At the time of
construction rail tracks were also installed
for a future light rail service.
Unfortunately despite this commendable
forward thinking it was subsequently decided
that part of the light rail line will follow
a different alignment than the existing
tunnels, so on 24th September 2005 the bus
subway was closed for two year period of
rebuilding.
Most of the duobuses were actually withdrawn
well in advance of the closure (with many
being converted to pure trolleybuses for use
on surface routes) and - amazingly - replaced
with diseasal powered buses. (diseasal =
disease diesel)
In April 2005 local users were reporting on
Internet discussion groups that the tunnels
were often somewhat smelly from (what
thinking people know to be) the poisonous
diesel engine exhaust fumes.
Whilst it is true that the buses are diesel
electric hybrids they still needed to use the
fossil fuel traction package whilst
underground, although this was in a special
'hush' mode which means that the only operate
between stations and at much reduced power.
Apparently the choice of fossil fuel buses
was influenced by the transport operators'
belief that it is not possible to mix
overhead wire powered light rail and electric
trolleybuses / duo-buses in an underground
tunnel system - even though Essen proved
otherwise!
In Seattle the buses were driver steered, it
might be assumed that for safety's sake
"some" sort of guidance system would have
been needed - if only to reduce the chance of
a bus accidentally hitting the tunnel wall -
especially within the portion of the bus
subway which featured narrow London
Underground 'tube-like' tunnels (as seen
here), but this was not the situation.
This video compilation was filmed in May
1993. The sequences only follow a cursory
order and because of faulty camcorder lens
optics (which was only discovered once back
home) the images are not as sharp as they
should have been. Which is a shame.
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The tunnel reopened on 24th September 2007,
although again for hybrid diseasal buses
only.
Tags : seattle bus tunnel metro busway brt transit |
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Affichage : 138413
Durée : 367 s |
| Public Image Ltd. Seattle |
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http://www.youtube.com/group/PiL
Personnel:
Vox - John Lydon
Guitar - John McGeoch
Guitar / Various - Lu Edmonds
Bass - Alan Dias
Drums - Bruce Smith
This was the first release from the 'new'
PiL. A line up which would last in various
forms for another five years. 'Seattle' was
written on tour while the band were in
Seattle, apparently inspired by how boring
the town was.
Quotes:
Seattle is unusual, in that we recorded it on
tour, when we had some days off. The days off
were in Seattle. Clever huh?
- John Lydon, 'Plastic Box' sleevenotes 1999
Tags : Public Image Ltd Seattle limited pil. p.i.l john lydon |
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Affichage : 108477
Durée : 197 s |
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