NE Corridor fails because of bug!

[Tony Burzio]

The old stuff worked just fine, but a programming error in a new computer brought down the entire seaboard:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/23/us/24amtrakcnd.html?hp

[Thirdrail]

A software bug might have shut down the NE corridor, but something far simpler, a clove of garlic, shut down the New Haven Railroad electrification in The Bronx in the early 1950's! Seems there was an argument in an apartment overlooking the tracks that resulted a a pot of spaghetti being hurled out the window. A clove of garlic lodged in an insulator on the 11,000 volt catenary, immediately carbonizing and short circuiting the entire line. It took several hours of isolating circuits to find the offending insulator. :omg:

[BoxcabE50]

A software bug might have shut down the NE corridor, but something far simpler, a clove of garlic, ...

Wow. Now that is a truly freak incident!

:omg:

Boxcab E50

[Hytec]

Now wait a minute....isn't a diet of garlic supposed to promote long life free of circulatory problems.....?

[fitz]

I just learned that my once great employer, Lockheed, recently deployed a squadron of new F-22 Raptors to Korea. After refuelling in Hawaii, they headed out and suddenly all of their computers died, and they had to return to Hawaii VFR!!!! These new kids evidently did not learn what we taught them years ago about the international dateline, you know, where 180 W longitude suddenly becomes 180 E.

:sad: :sad: :sad: