The entire length of it had been dug up and new road is put in including new tram tracks. I spoke to a friend of mine who as an Architect has been involved in rebuilding of several inner city major roads. The overall concept is to bring back granite paving, cobblestones etc. Part of the deal is restricting car traffic and widening of footpaths as well as providing faster and quieter tram lines.
I've been observing the works on a daily basis for a while and I am quite amazed at the complexity of the undertaking and the technologies involved.
All materials, specialised machines and technologies used seem to be German - of course!
The concrete slabs are pored onto "sleeping mat" like, inch thick material, then silicones, styrofoam, melting rubber, foams god only knows what... On top of that the rails are welded by what looks like a steampunk's version of a butler-dog or something. Soft, sandy-ish slab is wedged between the rails and then heated till it all glows white, once cooled down, top of the rail is steel, sides have an expansion gap... how? dunno. The rails welded like this are rated for between -35 to +45. Mr. Metlink, interested?
What I find most amusing, scary and strangely exciting (a bit like Formula One, just watching hoping for a crash, right?) is the Polish OHS, or the absolute lack of.
Guys are operating machinery which could cut a spaceship in half and walk off smirking without ANY protection, I mean shoes and pants are OK, rest no-need.
Rail grinders providing sparks like at the Beijing Olympics, tram rails dangling overhead on chains, flames, rods... and nothing.
I guess god watches over Poland so nothing can possibly go wrong. It could be that the years of the previous regime gave workers enough time to comply with the theory of evolution and remove the unsuitable from the gene pool.
I was just observing manoeuvring of a largeish machine under some, probably live cabling. Girls and children walking around in the hellish noise as if nothing. No one even speeds up past the monster or even looks at it - what is it? Lack of self preservation gene?
Maybe we Polish don't see yellow?
BTW. It's been well over 30 for the last 3 days. And humid too, a bit like Sydney really.
1 comments:
Only difference between what you've been seeing and 200 years ago is the boss might, might feel a small pang of regret if a serf dies on the job. And after all, it's the thought that counts.
ColF
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