Jeff's Knowledge Nosh

Your daily bite of miscellaneous information.

Scramble!

Yesterday we continued the discussion of signals, and in a way, today continues on the theme with a signal for a different transportation mode: walking. Specifically, this post is an ode to the scramble. Found increasingly in major metropolitan areas, scramble...

Switches and Signals

Happy Thanksgiving! Last week's post before the holiday introduced subway signals, and today continues on the topic (make sure you've read the prior post before proceeeding). Think about the red signal. Often indicating “stop,” it tells trains to, well, stop. But...

Clear Ahead

Every day, millions of people rely on subways and trains to travel, and the signal system akin to more advanced traffic lights is responsible for ensuring their safe operation. Ever wonder how they work? You're about to find out. Most railroads operate by defining...

Sideways Falls

As you'll likely notice, yesterday's post has been delayed until today. What's the excuse? Being out of the country. Although currently writing this from a train in Toronto, today's topic relates to the wonder that is Niagara Falls. Home to three distinct waterfalls...

Status in the Sky

While flights may be delayed for a multitude of reasons, the vast majority are associated with airport-wide events (rather than mechanical or airline system issues that impact only a subset of one's operations). Luckily, data for those types of events is aggregated...

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Status in the Sky

While flights may be delayed for a multitude of reasons, the vast majority are associated with airport-wide events (rather than mechanical or airline system issues that impact only a subset of one's operations). Luckily, data for those types of events is aggregated...

The Refrigerator Theory

Today is a piece of wisdom from the Kessler family known as the Refrigerator Theory: if you're going to have something for a while, it's worth upgrading it. Why's it known as the refrigerator theory? A fridge is typically something people keep for quite some time. As...

Building Up

Think about the most densely populated municipality in the nation. What’d you guess? New York? If so, you’re not that far off; just cross the Hudson. Located across the river from New York, you’ll find the tiny, tiny, tiny municipality of Guttenberg, NJ. Spanning...

Change Sensitive

There are many components to economics that are basic intuition to many, but whose terminology is often foreign to the general public. Elasticity is a phenomenon that often falls in that category. Generically speaking, elasticity is a measure of sensitivity and...

Salem Village

Many know of the Salem Witch Trials, but what actually happened? Quite simply, during the late 1600s in the puritan village of Salem, a young woman became ill. Given limited medial knowledge for the time, the doctors simply could not identify a cause for her state....

October Heads

By the title of the post, you might be thinking of jack-o'-lanterns. But there's another important type of head in October: Head Races! Many types of sports have elite courses and races, including the Boston Marathon, the St Andrews Golf Course, and the Kentucky...

The Disney Hole

Walt Disney World is a great place to visit, full of fun and excitement for the whole family. The problem is, getting there often requires individuals to travel hundreds or thousands of miles. What if Disney were able to bring a smaller version of the Disney...

Six-Word Stories

Read more about Hemingway's famous challenge: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

If You See Something, Say Something ®

If You See Something, Say Something ® It's a standard phrase used incessantly at train stations, airports, and other transit facilities. And often, it's done illegally. Following the 9/11 terrorism attacks, reminding travelers to be alert, aware of their surroundings,...

Free Stops

The economics of transportation pricing is a fascinating topic that spans multiple semesters of university-level courses. However, the result of many sensible policies often leads to unique and beneficial tricks. One of which is the Amtrak free stopover trick. Say...

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