A very interesting map with submarine cables from all over the world.

For trains to compete with air travel, on short- and (some) medium-haul flight destinations, it will take much more than 'competitive travel time'.

I believe that the key concern will be how operators handle disruptions. Over decades, airports have built a significant infrastructure around accommodation for waiting (and delayed) passengers. Most railway stations have not and are also often located close to city centers where new construction is difficult (and where existing accommodation is expensive).

This is not news. The EU regulation on 'rail passenger rights' appears to offer much weaker customer protection than the air travel equivalent. For example, the EU rail passenger rights regulation states that rail operators need to offer accommodation: '[...] where and when physically possible' (Article 20-2(b)) when certain criteria are met.

Interestingly, the 'air passenger rights' regulation makes no such mention about when accommodation cannot be expected.

How service exceptions are handled, will define what mode of transportation people choose. And, if rail travel is to be promoted, why give rail operators lower service requirements?

I noticed something strange in the iOS weather app: The air quality index seems to be defined relative to the country from which one accesses the air quality map.

Below is an example (screenshots were taken minutes apart). The left panel shows air quality as reported on the 'Dutch scale' and the right panel shows the same on the 'German scale'.


It seems as if these countries (?) have vastly different ideas of what is 'good' for humans. Curiously, BreezoMeter seems to be the source of the data for both.

Edit (2023-06-25 15:05 UTC): I should highlight that the value 7 for Amsterdam is translated as 'insufficient' using the Dutch scale while the German scale rates the air quality at the same place and time as 'good'.

Here is a link to a very nice non-destructive digital film replacement for the Leica M2 (not produced since 1968). Incredible images.

Railroads, on the one hand, revolutionized the transport of people as well as goods and on the other hand also allowed the spheres of political influence to grow over vast land distances. The Berlin to Baghdad railway is an historical example of this and possibly quite relevant for our times as well.