In recent times, due to the widespread low-temperature, rain, snow and freezing weather, many Spring Festival travel trains in many places have implemented preventive measures such as speed reduction and shutdown mode to proactively avoid safety risks.
Railway transportation is still the main way for people to travel in my country, of which high-speed rail accounts for as high as 64.4%. Therefore, the extreme weather comparable to that of the 2008 Spring Festival forced the suspension of high-speed trains, and the adverse impact on passengers is obvious.
Severe weather such as rain, snow, and ice that is common in winter has a particularly obvious impact on traffic safety. Take high-speed rail as an example. Weather conditions such as heavy snow, fog or heavy storms will affect the line of sight of the train. Freezing rain will cause the rails to slip and the friction between the wheels and rails will be insufficient, affecting starting, acceleration, deceleration and braking.
When freezing rain freezes on the high-voltage wires of the railway contact network, it may not only cause a short circuit, but also cause the wires to shrink when exposed to cold and risk breaking. Faced with these complex situations, there are only two ways, to stop operation or to operate at a limited speed. As a result, a large number of passengers were stranded at stations and trains for long periods of time.
At this time, the green leather cars, which have been gradually phased out in our country, are not afraid of freezing rain and can still rumble forward, leaving the high-speed trains behind and ensuring their arrival on time. They are praised by netizens as "the green cars have become more powerful." .
This situation is actually the “high-tech paradox” faced by technology and social needs. While high technology brings comfort, convenience and lifestyle changes to people, it also brings other problems. For example, the digital age has greatly improved the convenience for people to obtain information and knowledge, but the difficulty of selecting information and distinguishing authenticity has also increased significantly.
Another manifestation of the high-tech paradox is that no technology is perfect and has shortcomings, which will cause new dilemmas and problems in people's lives. This time the high-speed train was forced to stop due to freezing rain, and the same was true.
This also reminds us that we cannot put our eggs in one basket while the relevant technical issues cannot be completely solved. Green cars that still use internal combustion engines as power mainly use diesel to generate electricity. Moreover, the speed of green vehicles is relatively low, the safety risks are relatively small, and they are more adaptable to extreme weather such as rain, snow, and ice.
Therefore, while developing new technologies, old technologies and related equipment cannot be completely abandoned immediately. This is just like today's digital payments have become so convenient, but banknotes still play an important role in the financial system. In the era of high-speed rail, it is also necessary to leave appropriate space for green cars to stand up.
□Zhang Tiankan (popular science author)
(Beijing News)