"Caught a Flat"
Billy Don McConnell
I heard a guy on a TV commercial blame tardiness on the fact that his train
"caught a flat (tire)".
It's been quite a while since I've discussed flat tires (luckily, I haven't
had any while _I've_ driven), and I can't for the life of me remember: did
_I_ used to say "caught a flat"? Or did I say "GOT a flat"? Or did I just
say "the tire went flat" or something along those lines?
Of course, you can't tell me what I said, since you weren't there. But you
can answer me this:
How common is "caught a flat"? And who decided that flats were things to be
caught in the first place?
Just wondering...
Don Mc Connell
bd...@fermat.wpi.edu
wil...@vax.oxford.ac.uk
>
>
> I heard a guy on a TV commercial blame tardiness on the fact that his train
> "caught a flat (tire)".
>
> caught in the first place?
And how the hell does a train have a flat tyre? Or are American trains like
those wierd double-deckers that run on the Paris Metro?
--
Stephen Wilcox | For Sale: Posts in British Government. Suit
wil...@vax.oxford.ac.uk | outgoing American. Highest bids accepted.
hume smith
> In article <1l13u6$o...@bigboote.WPI.EDU>, bd...@poincare.WPI.EDU (Billy Don McConnell) writes:
> >
> > I heard a guy on a TV commercial blame tardiness on the fact that his train
> > "caught a flat (tire)".
> >
> > How common is "caught a flat"? And who decided that flats were things to be
> > caught in the first place?
> And how the hell does a train have a flat tyre? Or are American trains like
> those wierd double-deckers that run on the Paris Metro?
i think it's mainly meant as a joke. however, there is at least one rubber-wheeled
train system in north america; the metro in montreal. in the good ol' days of
steam, having a locomotive tire _break_ was a serious problem. and i vaguely
remember a warning once being given to train crews against applying the brakes
hard enough to lock the wheels, thereby creating flat spots.
--
Hume Smith i make no apologies
hume....@acadiau.ca for not using capitals.
emc...@bnr.ca everyone needs a vice...
Tim Kirby
: In article <1l13u6$o...@bigboote.WPI.EDU>, bd...@poincare.WPI.EDU (Billy Don McConnell) writes:
: > I heard a guy on a TV commercial blame tardiness on the fact that his train
: > "caught a flat (tire)".
: >
: > How common is "caught a flat"? And who decided that flats were things to be
: > caught in the first place?
:
: And how the hell does a train have a flat tyre? Or are American trains like
: those wierd double-deckers that run on the Paris Metro?
I don't know about "catching" a flat, but a 'flat' is quite common in regular
railway parlance ...
Trains tend not to have sophisticated anti-locking devices, so a sudden
application of the brakes can result in wheel lock which results in the rail
grinding a flat on the wheel. Once you have had one pointed out while
travelling in a train, it is quite an easy noise to identify ...
Tim
--
Tim Kirby --------- Cray Research Inc., Eagan, MN, USA ----------- t...@cray.com
Disclaimer: I disclaim, therefore I am. Be warned ...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When all else fails, Immortality may always be assured by spectacular error(JKG)
Simon Patience
> In article <1l13u6$o...@bigboote.WPI.EDU>, bd...@poincare.WPI.EDU (Billy Don McConnell) writes:
> >
> >
> > I heard a guy on a TV commercial blame tardiness on the fact that his train
> > "caught a flat (tire)".
> >
> > How common is "caught a flat"? And who decided that flats were things to be
> > caught in the first place?
>
> And how the hell does a train have a flat tyre? Or are American trains like
> those wierd double-deckers that run on the Paris Metro?
BR used to make announcements about flat tyres a lot in Autumn. I asked
once and was told that when there are leaves on the track, then the wheels
tend to lock when the train is breaking and one part of the wheel wears
down faster. This left a 'flat' part of the wheel. If this happened the
train could no longer run at full speed. Of course, I could have been fed
a line.
Simon.
--
Simon Patience
Open Software Foundation Phone: +33-76-63-48-72
Research Institute FAX: +33-76-51-05-32
2 Avenue De Vignate Email: s...@gr.osf.org
38610 Gieres, France uunet!gr.osf.org!sp
Nick Leverton
>BR used to make announcements about flat tyres a lot in Autumn. I asked
>once and was told that when there are leaves on the track, then the wheels
>tend to lock when the train is breaking and one part of the wheel wears
>down faster. This left a 'flat' part of the wheel. If this happened the
>train could no longer run at full speed. Of course, I could have been fed
>a line.
No, it's quite (=completely) true, and is a major problem for railways
as the severe jolting from the flat damages the track, causes extra
strains on the axle and transmission, and makes the ride very bumpy for
passengers.
Nick