Det snør det snør…
Wednesday, 2008-10-29
A Norwegian children’s song (although set to a more poppy beat than normally) to celebrate the first snowfall seems appropriate today. As in every year, the first snowfall surprises everyone, and both buses, trucks and private cars grind to a halt. Those with winter-rated (or even spiked) tires are as bogged down as those that still run on their summer tires.
The trains and subway are unaffected by the snowfall, but due to a particularly heavy cover of leaves (it seems that this is a season of extremes), the rails are too slick for normal services – there have been half-heavy delays since Friday. Of course, the now very old subway-cars fare significantly better than the German-built X3000 cars, as they are fitted out to dispense sand on the tracks to provide friction, while the new ones are not. We already saw this last year when the X3000s were just taken into service, but I guess the problem was hoped or wished away.
Of course, the first snowfall never lasts. The snow will melt. The forecast for tomorrow is rain.
-rN
