• @LegoBrickOnFire
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      12 hours ago

      Those are things that regulate the tension in the overhead cables on train tracks. With the variation of temperature cables tend to contract/expand and this systems allows the cables to do so freely with a constant tension provided by the weights.

      • @[email protected]
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        1912 hours ago

        These are so simple and yet so clever. When i noticed them the first time i started noticing them everywhere (on all rail infrastructure).

        • @someacnt_
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          13 hours ago

          Is it simple? It looks quite complicated, but maybe that’s just me forgetting how to compute forces.

          • @[email protected]
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            11 hour ago

            simple in that it’s just a clever series of wires and pulleys, not some sort of digital adjustment device, i suppose

        • @RubberElectrons
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          59 hours ago

          I as well. Seattle transit, NEC Amtrak and NJ transit live off of these. If these systems work for them, they’ll work for us all