#Rcl Tracking

[researchyblog]

Flexible Electronics Market: Growth Drivers, Trends, and Emerging Opportunities

Market Overview

The Flexible Electronics market is experiencing substantial growth, driven by the increasing adoption of flexible OLED displays in consumer electronics and the rising use of flexible electronics to enhance vehicle design while reducing weight. Additionally, the surging adoption of flexible devices in the healthcare sector is expected to open new avenues for growth in this industry.

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Key Growth Drivers of the Flexible Electronics Market

Rising Adoption of Flexible OLED Displays in Consumer Electronics

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) technology is a flat light-emitting device consisting of stacked organic thin films between two conductive components. Unlike traditional LED or LCD screens, OLED displays do not require a backlight since each pixel emits its own light. This technology makes OLED screens more energy-efficient, providing high contrast, enhanced brightness, and improved image clarity.

Flexible OLED displays are increasingly being used in consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, and televisions due to their superior performance. The ability of OLED displays to consume less power, provide high refresh rates, and minimize eye strain has fueled their adoption. With the increasing consumer demand for high-quality, durable, and energy-efficient display technology, major manufacturers are launching innovative OLED panels.

For instance, in May 2024, LG Electronics, Inc. introduced the LG OLED Flex (LX3) in India, featuring the world’s first bendable OLED screen. The 42-inch 4K OLED TV can function as both a flat and curved screen, offering users a customizable viewing experience. Such advancements contribute significantly to the increasing demand for flexible OLED displays in the consumer electronics sector.

Growing Use of Flexible Electronics to Reduce Weight and Improve Vehicle Design

Flexible electronics are increasingly being integrated into the automotive sector, primarily to reduce vehicle weight and enhance overall design. Compared to traditional electronic components, flexible electronics offer lightweight and adaptable solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into curved surfaces, tight spaces, and other complex structures within vehicles.

One of the key applications of flexible electronics in automobiles is the use of flexible OLED displays for in-car entertainment, navigation, and vehicle diagnostics. These flexible displays provide a sleek, wrap-around interface that optimizes dashboard space while offering a more immersive experience for passengers.

Furthermore, the application of flexible electronics extends to advanced lighting solutions. In June 2024, LG Electronics, Inc. introduced Nexlide-M, a flexible stereoscopic automobile lighting system. This technology is designed for various automotive lighting applications, including daytime running lights (DRLs) and rear combination lamps (RCLs). Such innovations are driving the increased use of flexible electronics in automotive design, improving reliability and reducing maintenance costs throughout a vehicle’s lifespan.

Rising Adoption of Flexible Devices in the Healthcare Sector

In the healthcare sector, flexible electronic devices are gaining popularity due to their ability to improve patient comfort and enable continuous health monitoring. These devices include health monitors, smart patches, and wearable biosensors that allow real-time tracking of vital signs such as heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure.

The increasing adoption of flexible electronics in healthcare settings enables medical professionals to collect continuous patient data, leading to improved diagnostics and early disease detection. Additionally, flexible sensors embedded in wearable devices provide healthcare practitioners with real-time insights into patient health, allowing for proactive medical interventions.

Flexible medical devices are designed to conform to different body shapes, making them suitable for various medical applications. Their stretchable and adaptable nature enhances usability, ensuring a more comfortable experience for patients. The growing advantages and increasing adoption of flexible electronics in healthcare are expected to drive significant market expansion in the coming years.

Flexible Electronics Market Analysis

Market Segmentation by Type

The flexible electronics market is segmented based on type into:

Single-sided Flexible Electronics

Double-sided Flexible Electronics

Multi-layer Flexible Electronics

Rigid-flex Flexible Electronics

In 2025, the single-sided flexible electronics segment is projected to hold the largest market share of 38%. This dominance is attributed to the lower production cost, simpler manufacturing processes, and superior environmental durability of single-sided flexible electronics. These components are widely used in consumer electronics and medical equipment due to their reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Meanwhile, the double-sided flexible electronics segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is driven by the increasing demand for complex circuit designs, the need for improved space utilization in electronic devices, and the integration of advanced functionalities in IoT applications.

Market Segmentation by Component

Based on components, the flexible electronics market is categorized into:

Surface Mount Devices (SMDs)

Flexible Integrated Circuits

Flexible Displays

Flexible Sensors

Flexible Batteries

Microcontrollers & Microprocessors

The surface mount devices (SMDs) segment is expected to account for the largest share of 43% in 2025. The increasing adoption of SMDs is driven by their ability to create compact, lightweight, and highly functional electronic devices. Additionally, SMDs provide enhanced mechanical strength and durability when soldered onto flexible substrates.

However, the flexible displays segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growing popularity of flexible displays can be attributed to their lightweight nature, high resolution, superior color reproduction, and ability to bend or fold without losing functionality.

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Market Segmentation by Technology

The market is further segmented by technology into:

Printing Technology (Inkjet Printing, Screen Printing, Flexographic Printing)

Physical Vapor Deposition

Chemical Vapor Deposition

Atomic Layer Deposition

In 2025, the printing technology segment is expected to dominate the market with a 34% share. The cost-effectiveness and scalability of printing technology make it a preferred method for manufacturing flexible electronic components. Additionally, printing technology enables the integration of multiple electronic components, such as semiconductors and sensors, into a single production step, further driving its adoption.

This segment is also projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period, driven by advancements in manufacturing techniques that improve efficiency and production yield.

Market Segmentation by Application

By application, the market is divided into:

Consumer Electronics (Smartphones, Wearables, TVs, etc.)

Automotive

Healthcare

Aerospace & Defense

Energy & Power

Robotics

The consumer electronics segment is expected to dominate the market in 2025, accounting for 67% of the global share. The increasing use of flexible OLED displays in smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and wearable devices is the primary driver of this segment's growth.

On the other hand, the automotive segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growing adoption of flexible displays in vehicle dashboards and the integration of flexible sensors for driver monitoring and safety applications are fueling this segment's expansion.

Geographical Analysis

In 2025, North America is expected to lead the global flexible electronics market, holding a 39% share. The region's significant market share is attributed to its strong consumer electronics industry, extensive R&D activities, and increasing demand for flexible medical devices.

Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to witness the highest CAGR of over 10.5% during the forecast period. The region's growth is driven by the rising adoption of flexible electronics in the automotive industry, advancements in printing technologies, and the increasing manufacturing of flexible memory chips and storage components.

Key Market Players

The flexible electronics market features several key players, including:

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (South Korea)

LG Electronics, Inc. (South Korea)

Panasonic Corporation of North America (U.S.)

3M Company (U.S.)

Konica Minolta, Inc. (Japan)

CCL Industries Inc. (Canada)

AUO Corporation (Taiwan)

E Ink Holdings Inc. (Taiwan)

These companies are actively involved in product innovations, partnerships, and expansion strategies to strengthen their market presence.

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[shoshanews]

Apply Virgin Active is Hiring New Sales Consultants Virgin Active is Hiring New Sales Consultants Are you a dynamic, driven individual with a passion for promoting a healthy, active lifestyle? Virgin Active South Africa is seeking an enthusiastic Sales Consultant to join their team in Johannesburg, Gauteng! This permanent position within the Clubs Gauteng North Division at the Cedar Square branch is an incredible opportunity to help inspire people to live their best, healthiest lives while contributing to Virgin Active's mission to be the leading choice in fitness. - Job Title: Sales Consultant - Company: Virgin Active South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng - Employment Type: Permanent - Division: Clubs Gauteng North, Cedar Square - Primary Industry: Health, Wellness, and Fitness - Functional Area: Sales - Experience Level: Entry-Level The purpose of this role is to inspire people to embrace active living by achieving individual and club sales targets. The Sales Consultant will promote Virgin Active as the preferred fitness provider and engage with prospective members to create lasting relationships. This role is essential in expanding Virgin Active's customer base, driving sales, and fostering community connections. Key Responsibilities As a Sales Consultant, your main duties will include: - Daily Planning: Organize each day to generate leads, set appointments, and achieve sales targets. - Sales Management: Use Virgin Active's tools and systems for inputting activities, ensuring alignment with sales processes and procedures. - Product Knowledge: Maintain comprehensive understanding of Virgin Active's offerings and how they compare to competitors. - Customer Engagement: Expand Virgin Active's customer base by reaching out to potential members and maintaining rapport with existing ones to foster referrals. - Sales Execution: Understand the unique needs of prospective members, presenting relevant solutions and overcoming objections to close sales. - Data Analysis: Regularly review sales data to plan future strategies aimed at boosting sales and enhancing Virgin Active’s brand image. - Marketing Initiatives: Serve as a Virgin Active brand ambassador by participating in health days, community events, and promotions that align with the club's mission. Minimum Requirements Virgin Active is seeking individuals with the following qualifications and skills: - Education: Matric qualification required; a Sales or Marketing tertiary qualification is advantageous. - Experience: At least two years in a sales environment with a strong track record in achieving sales targets. - Communication Skills: Exceptional interpersonal, leadership, and telephone communication abilities. - Customer-Centric Approach: Demonstrates a focus on customer satisfaction and relationship-building. - Market Insight: Ability to analyze and utilize market data effectively to penetrate new markets. - Financial Acumen: Experience in calculating sales ratios and understanding sales budgets. - Adaptability: Agile and capable of adjusting to a fast-paced environment. Desirable Attributes Virgin Active values individuals who embody the following qualities: - Growth Mindset: Willingness to embrace challenges and seek continuous development. - Drive to Succeed: Motivated to go above and beyond to achieve targets. - Decision-Making Skills: Confident in making quick, bold decisions and taking responsibility for outcomes. - Collaborative Spirit: Thrives in a team environment and values partnership. - Emotional Intelligence (EQ): High interpersonal skills, showing empathy and rapport across diverse customer demographics. SEE ALSO: RCL Foods Learnerships 2025 How to Apply? Click Here to Apply Read the full article

[joezworld]

Traintober Day 24

Today's prompt is: Non Stop

Buckle Up Everyone - This is a long one.

Non Stop

Stephen Hatt hadn’t been kidding when he said that with the addition of Osprey, the NWR now had a locomotive surplus. Thomas had been returned to service, meaning that Tornado could now work on the main line. Of course, while there may have been a shortage on the branch, the main line had no such issues, and both engines found themselves reduced to less important work like “thunderbird” duties and yard shunting.

Neither engine minded this arrangement - work was work, after all, and it was better than doing nothing - but there was some pushback from their drivers, as both engines were not only borrowed, but also very valuable, meaning that only senior main line crews were allowed to operate them.

Siobhan, who was now the senior locomotive driver for the NWR, but had worked her way up from the bottom of the railway’s hierarchy since the 1980’s, had no objection to this, and soon made fast friends with both engines. However, the rest of the Tidmouth-based crews allocated to the two had different opinions...

“Do you really want to cause a fuss over this?” Roy, the railway’s scheduler, was a no-nonsense Mancunian who had come to Sodor after finding Network Rail too disorganized. “Because this will reflect badly on you.”

“All I want is something better than yard work!” Whined Craig, Osprey’s chosen driver for the day. He’d worked for the NWR for many years, and had forgotten how lucky he was to be able to drive steam engines every day and get paid for it. “I’ve got an A4! Mallard and all that! And I get yard work? C’mon man, gimme something here!”

“Osprey.” Roy said over his spectacles. “Not Mallard.” He made a few very deliberate clicks on his computer. “But if you insist on barging into my office and making a fuss like a child, I suppose you can take 6B11 - it’ll make James’ day if nothing else.”

Craig smiled like a cat that caught the canary, and once the office printer had spat out the updated train orders, he left in a very self-satisfied manner.

Roy rolled his eyes and went back to his work, but within a few minutes his desk phone rang.

“Hello? Speaking. I see. Will this interfere with - oh his driver is ill? Well I hope it’s nothing serious.” He made a few clicks, un-assigning the engine from their next train. “Ah, well, there’s nothing that can be done about that. Yes, I’m already assigning a replac- oh, Osprey was asked for specifically? Well, I do apologize, but she has already left for her next assignment, however I do see that 98863 is available for that run. Yes. Splendid. Consider it done. Good-bye.”

He hung up the phone, and allowed a rare smile to cross his face. He could see into the yard from his office window. Considering that his fireman was still polishing the A4, Craig was most likely still harassing the staff canteen for a cup of coffee. Tornado could be seen by the coaling stage, and already the assistant stationmaster could be seen bounding across the tracks, ready to bring them news of their new assignment.

What a shame, Roy thought to himself as he updated the roster. From what I understand, Tornado is fairly adept with wagons.

NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY TOPS ACCESS PORTAL V25.1.2.6

© 2002 SUDRIC COMPUTATIONAL SERVICES LTD

* * * * * * * * * * *

LOCOMOTIVE ASSIGNMENTS PORTAL - TIDMOUTH YARD

USER: RMOON03@NWR.CO.UK

ASSIGN 98863 TO 3B04 ? Y/N [Y]

98863 ASSIGNED 3B04 - SPEED RESTRICTION CHANGE - MAX SPEED ALLOWED: 140 MPH

RECENT LOCOMOTIVE ALLOCATION CHANGES:

46040 - ASSIGNED 0C01 BIF->CVN | 08:54 18/05/2015

46040 - ASSIGNED 5R01 CVN->RCL | 08:58 18/05/2015

101900 - ASSIGNED 2F14 KFD->FFQ | 09:00 18/05/2015

370001 - ASSIGNED 2P34 PGD->KDN | 09:03 18/05/2015

98106 - ASSIGNED 7K03 FFQ->KPH | 09:11 18/05/2015

98105 - UN-ASSIGNED 6B11 TID->BIF | 09:57 18/05/2015

98809 - UN-ASSIGNED 0T00 TID->TID | 09:57 18/05/2015

98809 - ASSIGNED 6B11 TID->BIF | 09:58 18/05/2015

35102 - UN-ASSIGNED 3B02 TID->BIF* | 10:05 18/05/2015

*TRAIN SPEED RESTRICTION CHANGE: 35102 MAX SPEED 90 MPH. NO LOCOMOTIVE ASSIGNED. SPEED RESTRICTION: NULL

98863 - UN-ASSIGNED 1Z99 NUL->NUL | 10:06 18/05/2015

98105 - ASSIGNED 1Z99 NUL->NUL | 10:06 18/05/2015

98863 - ASSIGNED 3B02 TID->BIF* | 10:07 18/05/2015

*TRAIN SPEED RESTRICTION CHANGE: 98863 NO SPEED RESTRICTION. LINE SPEED LIMIT 140 MPH. SPEED RESTRICTION: 140 MPH

Ah well, I suppose she’ll have to console herself with the Fast Mail. Maybe next time, Craig.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Osprey

Osprey rolled her eyes as she rolled into the docks. Her driver was seemingly more eager for this run than she was, but it would be nice to stretch her wheels. The sidings at the docks were not full - it was low tide, and many of the bigger container ships and bulk freighters were waiting in open water.

A little red six-coupled diesel shunter was organizing a line of flatbeds under a crane, and stopped what he was doing as she was driven in. “Well knock me over with a feather!” He exclaimed in a strong Hampshire accent. “Whomever did you piss off to have someone like yerself come down here?”

“Ah, just button it!” Craig leaned his head out of the cab. “We’ve got the 6B11, on the quick!”

“I see,” Said the shunter sympathetically. “Hello, Craig! I’ll have your punishment brought around in just a tic.”

Arthur the fireman roared with laughter at this, and Craig turned a bright red. “You see here you little urchin…!”

But the diesel had already vanished behind a line of containers, leaving Craig fuming, Arthur using his shovel to hold himself up, and Osprey more and more bemused.

“You certainly know how to make friends and influence engines…” She remarked quietly.

She hadn’t meant for it to be loud enough to be heard, but evidently Arthur had good ears, and the fireman’s laughter redoubled while Craig tried and failed to “win” the argument.

The two were at the point of menacing each other with coal shovels when the little diesel struggled back into view, a line of rather large aggregate hoppers towering over his small frame. “Y’know, if I was you,” He said to Osprey directly. “I’d find a way to pay Craig out for this - they’re vicious today!”

“Oh, little Salty…” The lead hopper practically oozed cruel satisfaction. “You say such polite things about us! Tell me how you really feel!”

“Go bump yerself Hector…” The diesel growled at the hoppers as he was uncoupled, and scuttled away without another word to anyone. Osprey felt sorry for the next set of trucks that annoyed him.

Speaking of annoying trucks, the lead hopper looked over at her in a most unpleasant fashion. “Now, look at what we have ‘ere. What sort of cheese wedge are you?”

“I’m-”

“Looks like Cheddar to me! Is that what ye are? A nice hunk of cheddar?”

“My name is-”

“Oh! How’s about that Swiss cheese? Gruyere?”

“I am-”

At this point the other trucks had begun naming cheeses and laughing. Somewhere between “edam”, “camembert”, and “can we get a real engine please?” she lost patience with them.

“ALL RIGHT!” She bellowed, shooting steam every which way. “My name is Osprey! And I am going to take you jokers all the way to Barrow whether you like it or not!”

This did not have the intended effect. “Oooh! She’s a hot one! Best make sure she don’t melt!”

“I’d say she already has - lookit her, she’s all droopy!” This from another truck.

“Yer right. Must be Raclette then.”

Osprey said nothing as she was turned around on the yard’s wye. She was fuming, and had she said anything at that moment, she’d have sounded much more like Gordon or Mallard than she’d have liked to!

Craig meanwhile thought it was all a great lark, and relished in his apparent “victory” over both engine and fireman. This lasted until he tried to move the reverser into the reverse position, and found it stuck fast. Grunting, he yanked on it a bit harder, with the same result. Once, Twice, Three more times he yanked on it, but still Osprey refused to move the lever.

“C’mon…” he grunted. “Stupid thing… stupid engine… ”

Arthur, realizing the lunacy in calling an engine stupid whilst standing on their footplate, took a measured step back. Craig continued to pull, putting more and more of his strength into it until…

CLANG! WOOSH! “OW!” Osprey “let go” of the reverser, and put as much steam as she could behind the valve. It shot into the full reverse position, at which point Craig, who had been trying to pull the lever towards himself, now was hit in the forehead by it as it sprang back. It was such a hit that he saw stars as Osprey began to reverse out of the wye.

Arthur almost fell out of the cab, he was laughing so hard, and Osprey allowed herself a vicious grin as she backed down onto the still-mocking hoppers.

Make cheese puns all you like, I’ve been doing this since before you were a glint in your designer’s eye. She growled to herself. I survived the Blitz and Modernization, some garbage bins on wheels aren’t going to get the best of one of Gresley’s finest…

--

They made it as far as Gordon’s Hill. The journey there was a slow and arduous one, dogged by slow orders, red signals, and sticking brakes up and down the train. They'd been shunted aside for faster trains twice before passing Knapford. Osprey tried to bump the trucks into submission, but they were more than willing to bump her back, and that fight had ended when Arthur was almost thrown from the footplate by all the banging.

Seeing as they hadn’t managed to break 30 miles per hour the entire time, Craig stopped the train at Wellsworth and asked the signalman for a banker pre-emptively. In turn, the signalman informed him that if they dawdled, they'd likely miss their signal path to the mainland. This worsened everyone's mood significantly, and BoCo (who had banking duty today) was not looking forward to the long slog up the hill.

BoCo was right. Even with the diesel pushing from behind with all his might, the train was still too slow, and Osprey was eventually dragged to a seething, steaming halt halfway up the hill.

"Awww, poor little Raclette," Mocked Hector. "Worried you're gonna start melting?"

Osprey growled, a sound that was more metallic than organic, and started off again. BoCo wasn't at all ready for this, however, and when the slack pulled out he was left exactly where he was while the train surged ahead a few dozen feet, before grinding to a halt again.

The trucks howled with laughter at this, while Arthur watched Osprey's boiler pressure shoot up by a worrying amount. "Down girl!" He cried. "This lot isn't worth it!"

Hissing unprintable epithets under her breath, Osprey whistled to BoCo, and when he responded in kind, they set off again.

This time it seemed like they had a chance, so quite naturally Hector and his friends slipped their brakes on, dragging the train to yet another standstill with a screech that came from both their brake shoes and their engine.

"Maybe we need to go down and cut the train-" Craig suggested.

"No!" Barked Osprey, sending a gout of smoke and steam into the air. "Let's go again!"

"We can't-"

"We will!"

"Arthur..." Craig said plaintively. "Tell her."

"Hello, I don't think we've met before." Arthur looked at him as though he were an idiot. "I fire Gresleys on a regular basis. In what world is she going to agree to that?"

Unaware of the discussion going on at the front, BoCo chose this moment to speak up. "Osprey? What's our plan?"

"Melt! That's what the little cheese wedge is gonna do!" Hector crowed.

Osprey bumped the train viciously, but just as quickly was bumped back by the hoppers. This jolt was harder than the others had been, and actually shoved the A4 forward a few inches, her wheels screeching along the rails.

"Okay." She said quietly, more to herself than anything. "No more Miss Nice Engine. BOCO! HIT ME!"

"What?!"

"YOU HEARD ME! BASH THE TRAIN! HARD AS YOU CAN!" A determined look came across her face as her boiler pressure skyrocketed to the upper limit of what was safe. "I fought the Nazis. No truck gets the better of me…"

The trucks hadn't limited their horrid comments to Osprey, and BoCo didn't need to be told twice. He rolled back a chain or so, before surging forward, slamming into the hoppers with a violent CLANG that echoed up and down the hill.

At the head of the train, Osprey waited until the train was slammed against her tender before charging forward, almost ripping Craig's arm from its socket as the regulator slammed into "full steam" without warning.

With BoCo pushing hard from behind, there was a considerable mount of slack in the train's couplings, so when Osprey took off, the chain between her and Hector was able to stretch by a large amount, meaning that for a moment, she was accelerating without the train to slow her down.

Hector had begun to lose his confident look when BoCo had smashed into the train, and let out a yowl of both panic and pain when the slack between himself and Osprey finally let out, and he was violently jerked into motion. It felt like his coupling was going to be pulled out of his bufferbeam, a feeling that was exaggerated moments later by the slack behind him letting out, causing him to jerk the wagon behind him into motion, an experience that continued as each wagon behind him was yanked into motion, one at a time. "Bloody 'ell! Hold back!" He shouted to his fellows, trying to slip the brakes on and stop the train.

Osprey had other ideas. As soon as she felt the brakes start to come on, she threw as much power as she could at the steam powered air brake pump. Behind her, the trucks yelped as their brake shoes were forcibly pulled off of their wheels and into the "released" position.

With the trucks taken care of, Osprey charged forwards in a cloud of steam and sand. The crest of the hill was just coming into sight, and she threw every ounce of steam she had into her pistons. At the back of the train, BoCo was astonished to find that the load on his buffers was getting lighter, as Osprey began to pull the train up the hill by herself.

"Almost… there!" She panted as she crested the summit of the hill. Now that she had some momentum, the train became easy, and the aggregates hoppers began to pull away from BoCo with increasing speed. When the diesel rolled to a stop just past the summit, he found the train already well on its way down the hill, a thick black thundercloud of smoke trailing behind as a testament to Osprey’s effort.

Arthur had been shoveling like mad for the last ten minutes or so, and took a moment to wipe his brow and catch his breath as the train clattered down the other side of the hill. "Whoo, that was some serious effort!" He said, checking his watch. "And still on time - we might make Barrow on time!"

“What?” Craig stared at his own watch. “We’re at least twenty minutes behind! They’d surely put us in the loop.”

“I recall being told that we would have “generous timings” the whole way.”

At this moment, the AWS horn sounded, not the angry tone of an upcoming red signal, but instead the ding of an upcoming yellow aspect. “See?” Both men said, as Craig pushed the button to dismiss the warning.

“6B11, Control.” Squawked the radio.

“6B11.”

“6B11 disregard the approach and slow signal ahead of you. We’ve just lined you for a green all the way to Barrow on the down slow line. You'll take the crossover at Maron.”

“Roger that.” Craig just scowled as Arthur looked triumphant. Ahead of them, Osprey whistled victoriously as the distant signal raised its semaphore arm from “slow” to “clear.”

“See that Hector?” She called back down the train as Craig opened the regulator a bit more. “No stopping now!”

Hector hadn’t gone this fast in ages, and wailed piteously to himself.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Tornado

While astute viewers of the Television Show (and it has earned those capital letters, for the engines never refer to it in any other way) might know that Percy carries all the Island’s mail by himself, the reality of the situation is much more complicated.

The Royal Mail formally discontinued its use of mail trains nationwide in 2003, including Sodor’s mail trains. However, they did so without fully considering the geography of the island and its neighbors. You see, while Sodor has a very large rail network that connects every city, town, and village within it, (except Harwick and Ballaswein, but that is another story altogether…) its road network is decidedly sub-par. The A590, the island’s main road, is narrow and winding, with few overtake points to allow slower traffic to give way. It runs through town centers instead of going round them, meaning that any local traffic jam can quickly spread to the next town over.

The Royal Mail’s new plan for Sodor was to take all the mail to airports in Dryaw or Barrow-in-Furness by lorry, at which point it would be flown to Carlisle to be sorted, and then flown back, where it would be delivered to local post offices for final delivery.

In a vacuum, this system actually works rather well, as outgoing mail can be quickly and efficiently routed to destinations outside of Sodor, and since an airplane has already been scheduled, returning inter-island mail to the island is not an issue. Unfortunately for the Royal Mail, Sodor is not a vacuum, and problems quickly arose as the mail lorries began experiencing significant delays from almost the very beginning. Soon, the Island’s mail was being delivered late every day, much to the irritation of its residents!

This also deeply complicated the issue of mail coming from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. While mail from these places was sent from Douglas to mainland Britain by air, there had been a longstanding agreement between the governments of Sodor and Man that any ferry service between them would have to carry the mail - a holdover from the days before air travel, but a welcome one at the time, as it meant that mail from Man continued to arrive on schedule!

While no agreement had been worked out with the Royal Mail in regards to Northern Irish mail, the overall curtailment of mail services on Sodor was of a particular annoyance to the Royal Mail’s Northern Irish division, as they had just spent a large number of pounds expanding a sorting office near the docks of the Belfast-Tidmouth ferry!

These agreements/expenditures, and the resultant crown inquiry into whether or not they were still legally binding, were the primary impetus behind the re-institution of Sodor’s mail trains. Between 2005 and 2007, the NWR’s mail services ran as part of the Tidmouth-Barrow express trains. Its primary duties were the delivery of pre-sorted Irish and Manx mail to post offices along the NWR main line, however it also operates a limited en-route sorting service for letter post bound for stations immediately along the line. Since the mail contract did not include anything beyond Barrow-in-Furness, (The Royal Mail was very specific in its definition: “Sodor-Bound” mail went no further than Barrow) this necessitated detachable mail carriages. As the London-bound Wild Nor’wester had been run by Intercity 125 equipment since late 1999 - which did not feature easily detachable carriages, and the mail ferry sailings from Ireland and Man arrived after the train's 7:30 AM departure time, the cars were attached to the 11:30 Midday Express, which travelled from Tidmouth to Barrow with only a single intermediate stop at Crovan’s Gate.

Services ran in this manner until the summer of 2007, when the service was spun out into its own train - the Fast Mail - after an increase in bulk mail and parcel post traffic forced an unacceptable number of unnecessary stops in the timetabled non-stop journey. This increase in traffic came from two diametrically opposed services: print media and e-commerce.

E-commerce giants such as Amazon.com and eBay had begun significant expansions into the country over the past decade, with Sodor seeing the benefits of this after an Amazon fulfilment center opened in Rugeley, Staffordshire, allowing Sudrians to receive 2-day shipping on most items sold by the online retail giant. Meanwhile, the increased reach of online news sources and other pre-existing financial difficulties had caused many of Sodor’s newspapers to fold or merge due to falling readership in the early 2000s. This state of newspaper consolidation eventually left three survivors - the Tidmouth Advertiser, the Wellsworth Parliamentarian, and the Sodor Edition of Barrow-in-Furness’ North-West Evening Mail. While the Parliamentarian was content to reform itself as a weekly broadsheet, the two daily papers began fighting for a share of the Sodor news market. While their initial price war has long since settled into an uneasy but stable détente, both papers gained significant footholds into smaller Sudrian towns. As almost all Sudrian towns are located on or near the NWR’s main line, this traffic was sent down the railway, and generated enough traffic on the NWR to justify the reactivation of several old BR newspaper transport vans that had been left on the Island following BR’s discontinuation of dedicated newspaper transport services in the early 1990’s. As both the Advertiser and the Evening Mail were evening papers, the distribution occurred in the late morning, requiring the newspaper vans - which were Mk.1 General Use Vans or converted coaching stock just like the Royal Mail’s Traveling Post Office carriages - to run on mid-day passenger trains in order to meet delivery times.

Due to the scheduled nature of the stops required by the newspaper unloadings, which did not allow them to be placed on the Midday Express, and the demands of the newspaper companies to not have their goods placed on slow stopping trains, the newspaper vans were placed on the tail of the Limited, a mid-day semi-fast train that ran slightly ahead of the Express. This decision was not a successful one, and caused significant confusion and delay for the NWR, as the increased station dwell times caused by the newspaper deliveries, combined with the frequent unscheduled stops on the Express caused by Parcel Post deliveries (which could not be delivered or loaded while the train was still in motion), often led to both trains having simultaneous unscheduled stops at the same station - a situation that often led to “cataclysmic” delays further down the line.

After a mere fifteen months, the NWR was forced to reallocate the mail and newspaper cars into their own separate train - the Fast Mail. This train, which is timetabled as a non-stop return journey from Tidmouth to Barrow and back, operates under the principle of “goods request stops”, in which any specific station stop must be “requested” in advance by the stationmaster or by the freight customers - usually the Royal Mail and the distribution arms of the Advertiser and Evening Mail.

As a result of all this-

“Oi! Tornado! Wakey Wakey, lazy boiler!”

------

Tidmouth Station

Tornado snorted as she opened her eyes. “I wasn’t sleeping!” She protested.

“Yer eyes were shut.” Siobhan gave her a knowing look. “It isn’t like I haven’t been driving LNER Pacifics for years!”

“I was listening to a podcast!” Tornado said defensively. “It was just getting to the good part!”

Siobhan didn’t quite know what to say to that, and eventually walked back to the cab muttering about “damned teenagers and their trends.”

“Iff’n ye think that’s bad,” Sidney said as she entered the cab. “Wait until she gets talking about somethin’ she’s interested in. You’ll not be able to pry yourself free with a crowbar.”

“She’s not a normal engine, is she?” Siobhan hadn’t driven the new A1 before today, and the reports coming in from everyone else on the railway had implied that she was strange even by Sodor’s admittedly high standards.

“D’ya think I’d be here if she was?” Sidney was technically a volunteer from the A1 Trust, but had stayed on Sodor because, in his words: ‘Ya'd never survive wit’out someone who knows her!” The NWR had recognized his talent in engine-wrangling, and had allowed him to stay on Tornado’s footplate.

Siobhan merely rolled her eyes and looked out of the cab and down the train. As usual, the bags and bales of newspapers were slowing down the loading process significantly, and it looked like the Fast Mail would be late yet again.

-

Some minutes later

The newspaper van had finally been shut, and the stationmaster came up to the cab with the finalized train orders. “You’ve a light load today.” He said as he passed the papers up. “Wellsworth, Cronk, and then straight on to Barrow. Hopefully those layabouts with the paper won’t muck anything up today!”

“Here’s hoping.” Siobhan said as she took the papers. The newspaper delivery drivers were terrible at being timely, and often held up the train by many minutes due to their incompetence.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the Guard blew his whistle, the signal dropped, and the train set off towards Wellsworth. The train was short today - only four carriages, and almost immediately she had to rein Tornado in to prevent her from exceeding the station speed limit.

“Easy!” She called. “S’not a race!”

“Sorry!” Came the apologetic reply. “It’s quite light - I didn’t mean to.”

“Little scatterbrained, isn’t she?” She remarked to Sidney. “Reminds me o’ my daughter.”

“No doubt about that.” The older man (and she was getting to a point in her life where that meant something) said sagely. “She’s very good at pulling trains, but you’ve got to mind her at all times - she’ll leave ye behind if you aren’t watching.”

“Good to know.” Siobhan remarked idly, paying more attention to the line of hopper wagons in the goods loop just outside the station. A positively thunderous cloud of smoke was trailing from the engine in front, and she wanted to see which poor engine had got saddled with those brutes today.

“I don’ think you understand my meaning…” Sid tried to clarify himself, but his words were lost under the angry woosh of steam and flurry of curses coming from the A4 heading the coal train. “... I’ll admit I’ve never seen that before.”

“If those trucks cause something to her, I swear ta fuck I will nail your hide ta my office door, Craig!” Siobhan shouted out the window at the retreating train.

In the hubbub of all of this, no more was said of Tornado’s absentmindedness…

---

At Wellsworth, the post and newspapers were unloaded in short order, but the train was held for a few minutes to allow BoCo out of the yard.

“Banking duties, I’m sure you understand.” He said apologetically as he rolled to a stop next to Tornado.

“Oh of course!” She said brightly. “I just hope that - oh, there she comes!”

“She” referred to Osprey, who rolled into Wellsworth with such a clatter and commotion that all other communication was impossible. She was practically vibrating with anger as her driver stormed out of the cab and began to oil her joints.

“Does Gordon allow you to use his throttle in such a maladroit fashion?” She hissed.

“No!”

“Then why do you insist on doing so to me?!”

“Now you see here! I am trying-”

“And failing!”

“Why you stuck up piec-”

“Say it. I dare you.”

Everyone else in the station wished they were somewhere else at that moment, except Siobhan, who was about to “teach” Craig the proper way to speak to engines when the signal dropped and the guard radioed that they were clear. Tornado, who didn’t want to be anywhere near whatever was going on between Osprey and her driver, whistled urgently and began to pull out of the station on her own!

Sidney rolled his eyes and reached over to reduce steam before Siobhan noticed. When she finally returned her attention to the train, she hadn’t noticed Tornado’s slight movement and advanced the throttle normally. Tornado responded with a will, and charged out of Wellsworth and up Gordon’s Hill as fast as she could!

--

The train pulled into Cronk station, and already Siobhan could tell it was going to be a long stop. The station’s carpark was situated next to the tracks, and the lorries used by the newspaper companies usually queued up in the spaces reserved for buses. Seeing no lorries usually meant that they were going to turn up whenever they felt like it. This was a problem, as Cronk Station’s goods office had been turned into the station café many years ago. This meant that there was nowhere to put the unloaded newspapers, and as a result, the train would be forced to wait for the lorries to show up. Of course, the train was allowed to leave if the lorry drivers never showed up, but it was NWR policy to wait at least a quarter of an hour before doing so.

Quite naturally, this meant that the drivers were probably going to show up 14 minutes from now, and take their time unloading.

“Might as well get comfortable.” She said to Sidney.

“Huh?”

“No lorries for the papers. It’s gonna be a while.”

“I see…” He said, eyeing the station café, which was advertising ‘2-for-1 Steak Pies’. “In that case, I’ll be back.”

He clambered down from the cab, and made a beeline for the café, much to Siobhan’s bemusement.

Normally she filled spare time with the unending supply of paperwork that was required to run a train in the 21st century, but with the journey not even half over yet, there was only so much she could do, and ten minutes later Siobhan was pacing up and down the platform, acutely aware of how late the train was.

“Shall we ever be on our way?” One of the mail carriages groused. “I was unloaded promptly, so I just cannot understand the delay… Can you understand it, Constance?”

“Why don’t you shut your mouth, Elodie?” Snapped the newspaper van. “You didn’t see me complaining when your door jammed last week, did you?”

“Well, I never!”

“But you do!”

The mail clerks were busy stowing the last of the outbound mail, and exchanged tired looks with each other and the other mail carriages. Siobhan didn’t even try to intervene this time - you’d have an easier time convincing James to turn blue.

“I do hope I’m not interrupting a lover’s spat.” A familiar voice said from behind her, and Siobhan turned on her heel to find her husband Declan standing on the platform, a clipboard in hand.

“What are you doing here?” She said, her mood immediately improving.

Declan worked for a large business consultancy firm, and explained that his company had been hired by the Tidmouth Advertiser to find the source of the numerous complaints about their newspaper’s delivery and distribution. “Although I don’t think I have to look very hard to find one source.” He said as the coaches continued to bicker behind him.

“Oh, jaysus,” Siobhan buried her head in his shoulder. “It’s like this every time! Ah dinnae think we’ve been on time once this month!”

“Right,” He said while pulling a pen out of his suit jacket. “I’ll make a note of that.”

He proceeded to balance his clipboard on his wife’s head as he did so, which drew an exasperated laugh and playful swat on the arm before the moment was broken by the eventual arrival of the newspaper lorries.

The newspaper delivery team consisted of the four men from the lorries, plus an attendant employed by the railway who rode inside Constance and threw smaller bundles of papers out at stations where the train didn’t stop. They seemed to know that they were under observation, and the load of newspapers was hauled out of Constance and into the lorries in record time. It took only ten minutes for the newspaper van to be significantly emptier, and Siobhan practically snatched the updated manifest sheet out of the lorry driver’s hand when he finished signing it.

What happened next occurred very quickly:

Siobhan, Sven the guard, and Declan were all standing at the end of the train - the railway employees were making sure that all doors were secured on the train, while Declan was saying his goodbyes to his wife before leaving to follow the delivery lorries on their route.

-

Sidney was still in the station café, chatting to an old friend who he’d run into unexpectedly.

-

Tornado had heard “it’s gonna be a while” and had promptly zoned out, staring blankly into space while waiting for the departure. She’d only come back to reality when several of the semaphore signals at the end of the platform had clonked into the “proceed” position several minutes ago. One of them was for her, but she wasn’t too worried, as the guard hadn’t yet blown his whistle. The other one was very interesting, as it was for an “up-bound” train traveling east towards Barrow, but on the westbound “down” slow line, - she’d heard that Sodor often ran trains “wrong main”, but she’d hadn't yet seen it herself.

That “wrong running” train turned out to be Osprey, who had evidently regained control over the train somewhere between Wellsworth and Cronk, as she was in fine spirits as she flew through the station, the coal trucks screaming at her to slow down all the while. An A4 going at full tilt was a sight to behold all by itself, but the sheer calamity of Osprey’s train drew every eye to her, and everything else in the station momentarily ground to a halt until the train had disappeared into the distance.

“Oh!” Exclaimed Sven, who was now looking towards the end of the platform. “We’ve got the signal.”

He scanned the platform and found no sign of Sidney. He hadn’t seen the old man leave the café, so he was probably still in there. Ordinarily, he communicated with the train crew through the radio, but half the train crew was standing next to him, and his radio was in the guard’s compartment of the rearmost mail carriage.

Oh well, The stout Swede thought to himself. Guess I’ll have to do it the old fashioned way…

Taking a few steps back from the train, he blew his whistle as loud as he could, and waved his green flag.

Siobhan and Declan had both covered their ears in order to not be deafened by Sven, and kissed one last time before going their separate ways. “You gonna be home before seven?” She asked.

“Should be. I thought the match was on at 7:30?”

“We gotta eat first! I ain’t cooking during a - what the fuck?!”

Sidney hadn’t emerged from the café yet, and Siobhan was standing on the platform. There was nobody in Tornado’s cab. And yet, within a few seconds of the Sven blowing his whistle, Tornado sounded hers and began to move away from the platform!

-

At the front of the train, Tornado hadn’t been expecting the guard’s whistle, and started quickly, very aware of the amount of time she’d have to make up. The train rapidly pulled out of the station, and within a minute was out of sight, on its way towards Kildane.

-

On the platform, Sid threw open the door to the café and watched as the train vanished into the distance. “Damn it all!” he groaned to no-one in particular. He’d told them to mind Tornado, but clearly they hadn’t experienced an engine of such… independent spirit before.

“Sidney!” Came a voice from further down the platform. It was Sven, who was sprinting towards the station buildings. “Radio! Call it in! It’s a runaway!”

Sid’s hand stole to his belt and found nothing but an empty holster. “It’s in the cab.” He said, before trying to calm down the guard. “But don’t worry - she’s no runaway.”

“What?” Sven gasped from his exertion, already heading towards the stationmaster’s office. “Nobody was in the cab! Someone must have gotten in!”

Oh blimey. Sid thought, wondering how many times in the next half hour he was going to have to explain the peculiarities of Tornado’s operations to panicked railwaymen. “C’mon.” he said, guiding Sven towards the station building. “Let’s find Siobhan and the stationmaster and I’ll explain it to you all at the same time. There’s nothing to worry about. Trust me.”

How can you be so calm about this?!” Sven was unconvinced. “The train has run away, and Siobhan had to jump on it!”

“What?!”

---

Moments Earlier

Siobhan had been forced to bodily drag Sven onto the train by his lapel, and dragged him through the carriage to the guard’s compartment door. “Locked. Ye got yer keys?”

“Um, love, I don’t think I’m going to be able to help here.” Siobhan spun around to find her husband behind her. A formless curse fell from her lips as she looked at her hand, which was clutching Declan’s shirt, not Sven’s.

“Fuck!” She exclaimed, not for the last time.

“What’s going on?” Declan hadn’t quite grasped what was happening yet.

“The train’s doing a runner!” She explained as she tried and failed to kick down the door to the guard’s compartment. It was a steel door, and kicking it with her steel toed boots did nothing but hurt her feet. “And the brake cord is in there!”

Declan paled. “What do we now?”

“Find the next one!” And with that Siobhan was off, shoving open the door to the mail sorting compartment and running through with decided urgency. Declan, unsure of what else to do, followed in her wake.

--

The Stationmaster’s Office - Cronk Station

“What?” Sven screamed. “He’s ill? Now!?”

“As I have been saying,” His assistant said, her expression getting more and more fed up as Sven continued. “He is ill, and if you will just wait a minute, the assistant station master will speak with you!”

Sidney had given up trying to calm Sven down, and just held his head in his hands. This was only going to get worse before it got better…

--

The Main Line

It really was a wonderful day, Tornado thought to herself as she rolled towards Kildane. The sun was shining, she had a train behind her, and it was smooth sailing all the way to Barrow. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think it was the 1930’s.

The clatter of the AWS system reminded her that it wasn’t the 1930’s, or indeed even the 20th century. She acknowledged the warning and eyed the signal. It was yellow over green, with a pair of lamps - one blue and one white - illuminated below it: En-route Mail and Newspaper delivery - reduce speed to 40.

That was something the NWR had developed for the newspaper deliveries, she remembered, and she began braking the train to comply with the incredibly rare speed restriction.

That is so cool! She thought.

--

The Train

The guard compartment in the next carriage was locked too, and Siobhan had nearly broken her foot on the door when the train began to slow down.

“Thank fuck!” She yelled as a signal slipped by the only window of the carriage. “Must’ve tripped the AWS - we’re gonna stop.”

“Well,” Declan said, leaning against a wall now that it was clear the danger was over. “That was exciting.”

“Yeah.”

“You know, for all the yelling you used to do about how unrealistic that television show the kids watched was-”

“Don’ say it!”

“- this seems remarkably accurate.”

Siobhan didn’t say anything, and instead threw her gloves at him.

---

Cronk Station

“- I don’t care that you got left behind!” The assistant stationmaster shouted back. “I’m not causing a ruckus and stopping the ruddy train just because you couldn’t get out of the café in time!”

Sven spluttered incoherently. “I - he- I wasn’t - He was in the café!” He shouted, pointing to Sidney. “And the train left without anyone!”

The assistant stationmaster’s look spoke volumes.

“Just call them!” Sven shouted again. “Even if it is nothing, it’s against policy for the train to be without a guard, so do your job and stop the train!”

---

The Main Line

Tornado whistled hello to the mail staff on the platform as she chuffed through Kildane. Several of the men waved back, before turning their attention to the mail basket, which was prepared for the inbound post. A little further up the platform, a single mail bag hung from the mail crane. This whole process had already taken place several times already, but Tornado still found it all novel - this was her first ever mail train, after all.

After clearing the platforms (and it was very disappointing, in some childish way, that there was no appreciable jolt to the train when the mailbag was collected), the train rolled past the signals protecting the end of the platform, went through the junction that served the electric branch and the Motorail terminal, and continued onto the main line.

“3B02, Control.” The radio crackled.

Tornado waited a moment for Siobhan to answer, but when nothing happened, she mentally shrugged and answered the call herself. “3B02.”

“3B02, you’ve got the Limited coming up behind you sharp-ish. Can you stay ahead of it?”

“How fast are they going?”

“They’re passing Cronk right now. If you can get to SJJ 170 in ten minutes you’ll be fine, otherwise we’ll redirect you to the slow line.”

Signal SJJ 170 protected the west side of Kellsthorpe Road station, about seventeen miles away from Kildane station. Tornado was not the best at math, but understood that it was theoretically possible for her to make it. “I can do that.” She radioed back.

“Understood. No speed restrictions to report. Good luck.” Came back the reply.

Tornado smiled excitedly, and began to pick up speed.

--

Rail Traffic Control - Tidmouth

The controller watched on the “big board” as 3B02 began to pick up speed.

“Think they’ll break the ton?” His coworker asked him.

“Dunno about the ton, but with Tornado on it they’re bound to break something.” He said.

The phone rang, and he answered it.

“What?” He said disbelievingly into the handset. “I just spoke to the crew, that’s impossible. Told me so? What- hello?” He put the handset back. “They hung up on me!”

“Who was that?”

“Cronk station. Said that the train left its entire crew behind and was a runaway.”

“Didn’t you just talk to them?”

“That’s what I told him!”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know…” He said, picking up the phone to call Cronk station again.

--

The Train

The relief both Siobhan and Declan were feeling had evaporated when the train had stopped slowing down as it approached Kildane. They’d rushed into the next mail carriage, intent on finding the emergency brake cord there, only to find the hustle and bustle of a traveling post office train at work. This carriage - Elodie - had both the mail unloading mechanism as well as the catch netting, the installment of which had forced the removal of the guard’s cabin and the emergency brake cord.

Shoving their way towards the next carriage, Siobhan stopped dead as a friendly whistle was audible through Elodie’s open doors.

Rushing to the nearest door, (and ignoring the Royal Mail staff who shouted at her to get back) she leaned out of the doorway and looked down the train. There was a slight curve going into the platforms at Kildane, and she could see into Tornado’s cab: it was empty.

“What the fuck is going on?!” She shouted, drawing the attention of the mail staff on the platform. They gawked at her, and shouted for her to get back, and she ignored them, trying to see if someone was hiding inside Tornado’s cab.

This meant she wasn’t paying any attention to the platform, and she was surprised when a hand grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her into the train just before the train passed the mail crane, the mail bag just inches from her head!

Spinning around, she found Declan staring at her in shock. “Pay attention!” He shouted, more out of fear than anything else, before clutching her tightly.

She blinked a long, shocked blink, letting him hold her. “Nobody’s driving, but we’re still going. What’s going on!?”

---

The Main Line

Tornado watched the permitted speed sign as she rolled past it. Before now she hadn’t really given it much thought, as she had been on the front of slow goods trains, or stopping passenger services that halted at Kellsthorpe Road.

But now she was on a fast train.

One that didn’t need to stop at the next station.

One that had been specifically instructed to go as fast as possible.

The A1 Trust hadn’t yet received clearance from Network Rail to run her above 75 miles an hour, but this wasn’t Network Rail track…

“Look out Ossie!” She called out at the fading trail of smoke that Osprey had laid down when she’d gone along the line a few minutes earlier. “I’m catching up!”

Inside the empty cab, the speedometer needle slowly crept upwards…

--

The Train

Constance the newspaper van hadn’t been built as a passenger carriage; she’d been built as a “General Utility Van”, and therefore had no equipment other than electric lighting. When she’d been reactivated for mail train service, she’d been retrofitted with gangway connectors, but that was all. Notably, she did not feature an emergency brake cord.

Siobhan had discovered this the hard way when she’d charged into the van and discovered the walls to be entirely bare, with nothing but a light switch anywhere. She growled, just a little, before wading through the bags of newspapers and heading for the door at the front.

“Where are you going to go?” Declan asked, too invested in this to stay in the mail cars where it might be safer. “This is the front of the train.”

“Corridor tender!” Was the only reply she gave.

Striding forward, Siobhan threw open the door at the other end, intent on stopping this train once and for all.

What she said next was thankfully lost to the howling wind that blew past her and sent loose newspapers flying.

The door to Tornado’s corridor tender was locked.

--

The Lineside - Between Kildane and Kellsthorpe Road stations

The utility company survey crew had just broken for lunch when the first steam train had gone by. Being native Sudrians, none of them could quite contain themselves when a Gresley A4 had roared past with a goods train (?!), and they’d moved their lunch spot a bit closer to the railway line in order to have a better view of the tracks, should something else exciting come along.

Just a few minutes after that, something else did.

They first heard the sound of a steam locomotive approaching rapidly in the distance.

Several of them jumped up to see what it was.

Almost before they could move from where they were standing, the train rocketed by.

A steam engine moving faster than seemed possible and a few coaches, it was gone almost as soon as it had arrived. The wind from its passage was strong enough to send sandwiches and drinks flying!

The foreman stared into the distance. Already the train was out of sight. “What was that?!”

--

The Main Line

Tornado could see Osprey’s smoke trail get darker and darker as she caught up with the A4. She wasn’t sure how fast she was going, but it was certainly faster than she’d ever gone before!

--

The Train

Constance’s gangway connector had not been made very well, and the resulting gap between tender and van was big enough that Siobhan hadn’t wanted to risk trying to kick the door down, so she’d started scrounging around for something that she could use as a battering ram.

“Found something!” She yelled, producing a crowbar from underneath a pile of bagged newspapers bound for Barrow-in-Furness.

At that moment, the train leaned into the curve that sat between Kildane and Kellsthorpe Road. It was deeply banked in order to allow trains to run through it without slowing down, which usually helped the train stay level. However, in the case of the newspaper van, it caused just enough lean for a precariously perched pile of papers to collapse.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Declan had to smother a laugh at the sight of his wife getting buried in an avalanche of news.

--

Rail Traffic Control - Tidmouth

“See, she did break the ton.” Remarked the other controller.

“Remarkable.” Said the first controller. “Do me a favour and see if you can raise Cronk. They’re not answering and I’ve got Kellsthorpe calling.”

--

Kellsthorpe Road Station

“What do you mean, ‘you won’t do it’?” The stationmaster yelled into his phone.

“I mean,” Came the voice of “control”. “That you’re supposed to call at least half an hour ahead. I’ve already lined their path for a clear run to the mainland - unless you want to rip the hooks off when they take the mail at a hundred!”

“But this mail is important!”

“Then why didn’t you call before now? I’ve got the Limited coming up behind them, they can’t slow down - the signal timings are tight enough.”

“I didn’t know it was coming, you horse’s arse!” The stationmaster shouted as he slammed the phone down, before turning to the sheepish Royal Mail driver. “This is on you now - go set out the hook if you want, but they aren’t going to take it!”

The driver didn’t hear much more beyond “put the hook out”, and sprinted off to the platform.

--

The Main Line

Tornado could see the tail end of Osprey’s train as it bucketed down the line towards Kellsthorpe Road. She let out a jubilant blast of her whistle, and was delighted to hear Osprey sound hers in return. She picked just a bit more speed, careful to remember that the end of the high-speed segment came soon after the end of the station’s platforms.

Inside the cab, the speedometer needle was bouncing at its stop.

--

The Train

Siobhan had actually managed to create a wicked-looking breaching tool by attaching the crowbar to a handle pulled from a newspaper cart, and Declan was holding on to her for dear life as she stood in the gangway and prepared to smash down the door to Tornado’s tender.

Unnoticed in all the chaos, the attendant who was supposed to ride in the newspaper van came sprinting in the back door. “How could I have forgotten?!” He asked himself as he searched the stacks of papers for the right one. “It must be here somewhere!”

He was so intent on his task that he blocked out the world around him, including the chaos going on at the front of the van!

--

The Main Line

“Ow!” Tornado yelped as something crashed against her tender’s rear door. “What was that?!”

It happened again, and she yelped again, this time reflexively unlocking the door in the process.

--

The Train

Siobhan yelled in victory as the door sprung open on the second attempt. Throwing down the improvised club, she jumped between Constance and Tornado and ran to the front of the tender.

Behind her, Declan looked down at the gap (and the rails flashing by below it), said a prayer to whichever Hindu god applied to this situation, (Vishwakarma, maybe?) and then made the jump himself.

--

The Traveling Post Office

The newspaper attendant came bustling back in with just a minute or so to spare and handed off the bag of newspapers to the lead mail clerk.

Kellsthorpe Road, not being near either of the towns it actually served, didn’t get much mail, so the mail clerk took the bag of newspapers and a small sack of mail and consolidated them into a single pouch, before sliding open the door to the train.

Traveling post office cars like Elodie have metal arms that swing out of the mail doors and hang away from the train. Mail bags are attached to these arms, and are then swung out by mail clerks to be delivered into nets set up along the lineside.

Ordinarily, these arms are not hard to load, but with the fierce wind blowing into his face, the clerk bungled the attachment several times before eventually getting it.

--

The Main Line

Tornado was deeply confused by the feeling of footsteps in her corridor connector, but was even more confused by the signal she was getting from Kellsthorpe Road.

It was a standard “proceed” aspect, and the lights indicating newspaper and mail delivery were dark, but in spite of that, a man was attaching a mail bag onto the crane anyways!

Unsure of what else to do, she sounded the whistle code for “mail pickup”, hoping that the mail crew could hear her. She slowly started to apply the brakes, trying to get the train down to a more reasonable speed without jolting the mail crew, who were presumably hanging out of the mail carriages right now!

--

The Traveling Post Office

The mail crew exploded into action as they heard the whistle blow. Unforeseen mail was common, but at this speed they needed to be ready sooner rather than later.

The mail chute was quickly deployed, and a clerk readied the mailbag to be swung out of the door the instant the platform came into view.

--

Kellsthorpe Road Station

Delta had been taking several coaches from Crovan’s Gate to Rolf’s Castle, and was waiting at the junction to be allowed onto the branch line to Kirk Ronan.

She’d been waiting several minutes, and had watched with interest as two clouds of thick black smoke had risen over the horizon.

The smoke had slowly been revealed to have been attached to a pair of engines, each of them racing along the opposite sides of the main line.

Optical illusions are a funny thing, because for a great while it seemed like the trains would never get any closer, but all of a sudden, both trains were upon her at once! First Osprey’s hopper train roared by, and was followed immediately by Tornado, who seemed to be traveling at the speed of sound. The diesel’s eyes practically spun in their sockets from the wind and the dust and the sound of the two Pacifics and their trains!

--

The Traveling Post Office

The platform edge came into sight. The clerk heaved the bag into the swung out position.

The bag made it about halfway out of the train before the straps connecting it to the metal bars came un-done.

--

Kellsthorpe Road Station

The Royal Mail driver had never used the mail crane before, and was struggling to attach the bag to the hook. The train was getting so close he was in danger of getting hit by it if he stayed where he was, so he took a panicked step backwards and tried to come up with a different plan.

The train sounded its whistle, and he could see the mail chute unfold from the side of the carriage.

It was now or never, his panicked mind realized, and he came up with the only plan that came to his mind.

The chute wasn’t that far off of the ground, reaching about head-height…

As the train got closer still, he took a deep breath and hurled the mail bag straight up into the air, before he dropped prone onto the platform.

At the same time, the sack of newspapers came undone from the metal arms. The bag, still being shoved out of the train, flew through the air at a slight angle. Traveling at over 100 miles per hour, it raced down the platform like a speeding bullet, passing over the head of the Royal Mail driver before continuing on towards the station building.

The train thundered by, neatly but improbably scooping the thrown mail bag out of the air. Elodie yelped at the sharp jolt of the high speed pickup, but the netting held, and the bag tumbled into the carriage, where it was swiftly picked up by the mail crew.

In the station, the stationmaster watched as a large object flew off of the train. It took him several seconds to recognize what it was and where it was going, and he had just enough time to throw himself to the ground before the inbound mailbag smashed through his office window!

Continuing on its path in a shower of glass, the mailbag continued through the stationmaster's office, punched a hole through the door, careened through the waiting room, shot through an open window on the other side of the building, and flew out into the carpark. There, a policewoman trying to issue a parking ticket had to jump out of the way as the bag ricocheted off of a “No Parking” sign, flew through the air some two dozen feet before flying into the open back doors of the illegally parked Royal Mail van sitting in the station carpark, where it landed with a catastrophic THUD! and an explosion of letters against the bulkhead separating the cargo compartment from the driver’s seat.

--

The Train

Siobhan stormed out of the connector corridor, and was baffled to find that the cab was empty. She probably would’ve stood there longer, but Declan running out of the cramped corridor and into her back forced her into motion.

“What the fuck is going on?!” She bellowed, trying to pull back on the throttle. The lever didn’t budge, much to her confusion.

“What?” Tornado was trying to see why everyone at Kellsthorpe Road had thrown themselves to the ground just as she went by, and wasn’t really paying any attention to Siobhan as she also began applying the brakes to slow the train down for the curve outside of the station.

She also had a moment of personal pride as the train sailed past signal SJJ 170 in exactly ten minutes.

Siobhan squealed like a little girl and jumped back as the brake lever moved on its own. After a moment’s hesitation, she grabbed it with both hands, trying to haul it back into the full stop position, but as soon as Tornado got the lever where she wanted it, it stuck fast.

Siobhan didn’t say anything after that, instead watching as Tornado expertly worked the throttle, brakes, injectors, and coal stoker, along with acknowledging the AWS alarm. The train rolled through the curve like nothing was wrong, and continued on towards Crovan’s Gate.

“What are ye doing?” She asked again, this time quietly.

“Driving the train?” Tornado was deeply confused.

“Why?”

“Because I’m the engine? You haven’t said anything about it?”

“When would I have?”

“What do you mean?”

Siobhan collapsed into the driver’s seat, unable to believe what she was hearing. “Lassie, ye left everyone behind. Ah’ve just run the whole length o’ the train thinkin’ ye were a runaway.”

Tornado had finally come abreast of Osprey and her train, so the exact words she’d said were lost in the clatter of the aggregate hoppers, but the horrified whistle she made got the point across!

---------

Later…

Osprey was tired, dirty, and hurt all over, and yet she had never felt so good in her life. She was sitting in the sheds in Barrow, waiting for her next train and luxuriating in the ache of a job well done, when Tornado backed in next to her.

“Hullo.” She said with enthusiasm. “What happened to you? You caught up with me at one point.” They'd run neck and neck for a while, but then Tornado had fallen behind and stopped at Crovan's Gate.

Tornado said nothing, and waited for her driver - an older woman who was unmistakably furious with something - to leave the shed and enter the station. “I left them behind.” She said quietly, as though her driver might hear her across the yard.

“Left who behind?”

“My crew.”

“What?!”

“Yep. I did a hundred and eight, all by myself.” She paused. “I am in sooooo much trouble.”

“You broke the ton?!” Osprey was ecstatic, then took in the rest of what her friend had said. “Alone? How?”

“It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got time, don’t we?”

“Not that much time.” Tornado’s driver was already coming back out of the station building, a group of serious looking men in hi-vis jackets behind her. They were stopping to investigate the mail cars first, but they would definitely be on their way to sheds soon.

“Oh…” Osprey could see where this was going.

“On an unrelated note, does it always feel like this?”

Osprey looked over at Tornado. She looked strangely relaxed, despite the huge amount of trouble she was apparently in. It was an expression Osprey knew very well, having seen it on the faces of her brothers, sisters, and cousins many times before. It was what her owner liked to call a “runner’s high” - the feeling one gets from doing hard work. She felt this way herself, right now.

“Yes. Yes it does. Have you ever…?”

“Nope. Sheltered life, remember?” Tornado paused for a moment. “Feels nice. I feel like a real engine for the first time in my life."

"It does feel nice. I suppose I never considered that you would have never experienced it before."

"Oh yeah." Tornado looked almost pensive - a strange look for someone as absentminded as her. "I want this. I like this."

"Come again?"

"Work." She looked serious. "They're treating me like a real engine, not a showpiece."

"Sometimes I forget that you and I haven't had the same life experiences."

"Mhm. You got to work for years. Is this better? Than preservation?"

Osprey closed her eyes. Mr. Cameron was wonderful, but life in preservation was... slow. "Yes. I think it is."

"Then let's stay."

"What?"

"We're famous. We can boss people around if we want to." Tornado and "serious" was an unexpectedly frightening combination. "Let's just stay here. On Sodor."

"You want to stay here?" Osprey asked again. "Even after what's going to happen once they get in here?"

"Oh yeah." Just like that, the serious look was gone, and Tornado was back to being blissfully unaware of the world around her. "It'll be totally worth it."

Despite herself, Osprey couldn't help but agree!

[virtualdragonduck-blog]

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[dailybiblelessons]

Thursday: Preparation for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Complementary Hebrew Scripture from the Latter Prophets: Jeremiah 9:1-16

O that my head were a spring of water,  and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night  for the slain of my poor people!

O that I had in the desert  a traveler's lodging place, that I might leave my people  and go away from them! For they are all adulterers,  a band of traitors. They bend their tongues like bows;  they have grown strong in the land for falsehood,  and not for truth; for they proceed from evil to evil,  and they do not know me, says the Lord. Beware of your neighbors,  and put no trust in any of your kin; for all your kin are supplanters,  and every neighbor goes around like a slanderer. They all deceive their neighbors,  and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongues to speak lies;  they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent. Oppression upon oppression, deceit upon deceit!  They refuse to know me, says the Lord.

Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: I will now refine and test them,  for what else can I do with my sinful people? Their tongue is a deadly arrow;  it speaks deceit through the mouth. They all speak friendly words to their neighbors,  but inwardly are planning to lay an ambush. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord;  and shall I not bring retribution  on a nation such as this? Take up weeping and wailing for the mountains,  and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are laid waste so that no one passes through,  and the lowing of cattle is not heard; both the birds of the air and the animals  have fled and are gone. I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,  a lair of jackals; and I will make the towns of Judah a desolation,  without inhabitant.

Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, so that they may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? And the Lord says: Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, or walked in accordance with it, but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their ancestors taught them. Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am feeding this people with wormwood, and giving them poisonous water to drink. I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known; and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.

Semi-continuous Hebrew Scripture: Joel 1

The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel:

Hear this, O elders,  give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days,  or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children of it,  and let your children tell their children,  and their children another generation.

What the cutting locust left,  the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left,  the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left,  the destroying locust has eaten.

Wake up, you drunkards, and weep;  and wail, all you wine-drinkers, over the sweet wine,  for it is cut off from your mouth. For a nation has invaded my land,  powerful and innumerable; its teeth are lions' teeth,  and it has the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines,  and splintered my fig trees; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down;  their branches have turned white.

Lament like a virgin dressed in sackcloth  for the husband of her youth. The grain offering and the drink offering are cut  off from the house of the Lord. The priests mourn,  the ministers of the Lord. The fields are devastated,  the ground mourns; for the grain is destroyed,  the wine dries up,  the oil fails.

Be dismayed, you farmers,  wail, you vinedressers over the wheat and the barley;  for the crops of the field are ruined. The vine withers,  the fig tree droops. Pomegranate, palm, and apple—  all the trees of the field are dried up; surely, joy withers away  among the people.

Put on sackcloth and lament, you priests;  wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, pass the night in sackcloth,  you ministers of my God! Grain offering and drink offering are withheld  from the house of your God.

Sanctify a fast,  call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders  and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God,  and cry out to the Lord.

Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near,  and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. Is not the food cut off  before our eyes, joy and gladness  from the house of our God?

The seed shrivels under the clods, the storehouses are desolate; the granaries are ruined  because the grain has failed. How the animals groan!  The herds of cattle wander about because there is no pasture for them;  even the flocks of sheep are dazed.

To you, O Lord, I cry. For fire has devoured  the pastures of the wilderness, and flames have burned  all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals cry to you  because the watercourses are dried up, and fire has devoured  the pastures of the wilderness.

Complementary Psalm 84:1-7

How lovely is your dwelling place,  O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints  for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy  to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,  and the swallow a nest for herself,  where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts,  my King and my God. Happy are those who live in your house,  ever singing your praise.

Happy are those whose strength is in you,  in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca  they make it a place of springs;  the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength;  the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

Semi-continuous Psalm 65

Praise is due to you,  O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed,  O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come. When sinful deeds overwhelm us,  you forgive our transgressions. Happy are those whom you choose and bring near  to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,  your holy temple.

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,  O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth  and of the farthest seas. By your strength you established the mountains;  you are girded with might. You silence the roaring of the seas,  the roaring of their waves,  the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at earth's farthest bounds  are awed by your signs; you make the gateways  of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

You visit the earth and water it,  you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water;  you provide the people with grain,  for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly,  settling its ridges, softening it with showers,  and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty;  your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow,  the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,  the valleys deck themselves with grain,  they shout and sing together for joy. (TLCO: NRSV, NLT)

New Testament Epistle Lesson: 2 Timothy 3:1-9

You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them! For among them are those who make their way into households and captivate silly women, overwhelmed by their sins and swayed by all kinds of desires, who are always being instructed and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth. As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people, of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith, also oppose the truth. But they will not make much progress, because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone.

Year C Ordinary 30, Catholic Proper 30, RCL Proper 25: Thursday

Selections are from Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings copyright © 1995 by the Consultation on Common Texts. Unless otherwise indicated, Bible text is from New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV) copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are from the New Living Translation Holy Bible, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Image Credit: Detail from The Last Day of Pompeii by Karl Briullov, via Wikimedia Commons

[longboulder]

Countdown timers instructions

#Countdown timers instructions code#

#Countdown timers instructions series#

In other words, this variable changes states with each button press. This variable gets toggled either high or low each time the button is pressed. Variable for counting the number of times the button has been pressed. The debounce time increase if the button is registering a single press more than once Tracks the last time the output pin was toggled This one only keeps track of the state of the button when there is a Press the CLOCK button, then press and hold the RCL-CD button for 3-5 seconds to activate the countdown function. Press the HOUR and MINUTE button (s) to set the countdown time. Additional variable to keep track of the previous button press state. Press the PROG button (hold the button down to scroll) and cycle thru all 20 settings until you reach the countdown setting d ON - or d OFF. Variables for the current and the previous reading from the pushbutton pin

#Countdown timers instructions code#

This code incorporates Arduino State Change Detection and Debouncing example code by David A. When timer reaches 0, press once to reset. To reset before reaching 0, press the button 3 times quickly in under 1-second. To pause the timer, press the button again. When the timer reaches zero, the display flashes and a piezo beeps. Uses two 7-segment displays to countdown from 99 to 0. Program the Arduino with the following code: /* Get experimenting and see for yourself by building your own! While this may seem complicated, this is actually a commonplace technique for controlling LED displays.

#Countdown timers instructions series#

Even though only one light can be controlled at a time, thanks to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, if both lights are flickered on and off in series fast enough, we perceive them to both be on all the time. This technique allows only one light to be on at any given time by connecting them together and then letting the Arduino control which display gets connected to ground. This project is ideal for timing any life activity that happens in 99 seconds or less.Īn interesting thing about this project is that the two displays collectively have 16 pins which are used, but the Arduino is able to control both using only 9 pins thanks to a technique called mulitplexing. When the timer reaches 0, the display flashes and a buzzer beeps. Written by Simay Updated over a week ago. The timer controls two 7-segment displays which count down from 99 to 0, and can be stopped and started using a button. This article provides instructions on creating a countdown timer within a Guide or Hotspot. The Arduino Countdown Timer is a fun weekend project for beginners who wants to move on to something slightly more advanced.

[onlinefreighttracking]

RCL – Regional Container Lines Cargo Tracking

RCL – Regional Container Lines Cargo Tracking

Enter RCL – Regional Container Lines Tracking number / Bill of Lading (BL) No in following web tracker tool to track and trace your Container, Cargo, IGM, Express Shipping delivery status details online. TRACK RCL – Regional Container Lines Customer Service:- Hotline Phone number: (886-2)25471786FAX Number: (886-2)25473063Email Address: rcltpe@rclgroup.comUsual Tracking Number Format: Prefix…

[orbemnews]

Another safety scare is the last thing Boeing needs Boeing (BA) on Sunday recommended that airlines stop flying versions of the aircraft that are equipped with Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 engines while US authorities investigate the Denver incident. Of those, 69 had been in service and 59 are in storage, the plane maker said. Shares of the company are down 3% in premarket trading after they rallied 4.3% on Friday. Boeing, a giant of American industry, was once seen as a safe bet for investors who believed in the strength of the US economy. But the jet maker has struggled since the grounding of its 737 Max plane in March 2019 following two crashes that killed 346 people. The US Federal Aviation Administration didn’t lift the restrictions until November of last year. That sent Boeing, which has also been hit by a plunge in air travel from the pandemic, to a record loss of nearly $12 billion in 2020. CEO Dave Calhoun had warned that the coming months would still be difficult. In January, the company said it would delay the first delivery of its newest jet, the 777X, back to 2023. The long-range plane was designed to be used mostly on international travel. Downsizing is also set to continue. Boeing expects to reduce staff to 130,000 by the end of 2021, down from 161,000 at the start of 2020. Before this past weekend, there were signs that the company was finally finding its footing. Boeing delivered 26 jets in January, helping to ease a backlog of more than 400 737 Max jets that were built but couldn’t be delivered during the 20-month grounding. The company gets most of its money from plane sales at the time of delivery. But the latest crisis, which comes at a moment when Boeing desperately needs to rebuild trust, could blunt this momentum. Investor insight: Shares of Boeing have rebounded 129% from their recent March low, outperforming rival Airbus (EADSF), but remain 48% below where they stood two years ago. The company’s stock price makes clear that Boeing is still reeling from the 737 Max saga and coronavirus. Adding another problem to the mix won’t help. Copper prices are soaring. That’s good news for the recovery Copper prices have climbed to their highest level in nearly a decade as investors gear up for rising demand for construction projects once the pandemic is brought under control. On Friday, the price of copper climbed above $4 per pound for the first time since September 2011, my CNN Business colleague Anneken Tappe reports. It continued to advance Monday. Why copper? The metal is used in many construction materials, including electrical wires and water pipes. The uptick in prices has been driven by optimism that strong demand will outpace supply, creating a large deficit. The strength of China’s economy remains a crucial factor. “China’s return from the [Lunar New Year] holiday has heralded a burst of onshore investor copper buying,” Goldman Sachs metals strategist Nicholas Snowdon said in a recent note to clients. China’s economy grew 2.3% in 2020 while most other countries saw output shrink dramatically. It’s due to play a central role in powering the recovery expected this year. Snowdon said the outlook for copper is “extremely bullish” as the economic situation in other countries starts to improve, too. “The key reason the copper market is evolving in such a tight direction is in our view due to the very strong demand conditions both onshore in China as well as now in key Western markets,” he said. The iPhone just had a huge quarter Surging iPhone sales in the final three months of 2020 pushed Apple ahead of Samsung as the world’s biggest smartphone maker, my CNN Business colleague Hanna Ziady reports. The launch of the 5G iPhone 12 series propelled Apple to the number one position in the fourth quarter, Gartner said Monday. The last time Apple was the top smartphone vendor was in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to Gartner’s data, which tracks sales to consumers. Apple (AAPL), which launched its 5G line-up in mid-October, sold 80 million smartphones in the final three months of 2020, a 15% increase on the same period the previous year. The backstory: The final three months of the year are often Apple’s strongest because it typically unveils new iPhones in September. Last year, the reveal was delayed as a result of supply chain disruptions. (Samsung (SSNLF) usually updates its flagship Galaxy S phones in February, contributing to a much stronger first quarter performance. This year, the company announced new models a month early.) The Gartner data is a positive sign for analysts who have predicted that Apple is on the cusp of a sales “super cycle” as millions of customers upgrade their phones for the 5G era. Investor insight: Those expectations are a big reason shares are up 60% in the past year and reached an all-time high late last month. Apple is trying to broaden out its business, focusing on new services like Apple TV+. But iPhone sales have remained hugely important. Up next Royal Caribbean (RCL) reports results before US markets open. Occidental (OXY) follows after the close. Also today: European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde speaks at the European Parliament at 9:30 a.m. ET. Coming tomorrow: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gives his semiannual testimony before the Senate Banking Committee. Source link Orbem News #Boeing #investing #Premarketstocks:AnothersafetyscareisthelastthingBoeingneeds-CNN #safety #scare

[rclcanada]

Irrigation Supplies Edmonton

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[nebris]

The Battle of Long Tan (18 August 1966) took place in a rubber plantation near Long Tân, in Phước Tuy Province, South Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. The action was fought between Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units and elements of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF).

Australian signals intelligence (SIGINT) had tracked the VC 275th Regiment and D445 Battalion moving to a position just north of Long Tan. By 16 August, it was positioned near Long Tan outside the range of the artillery at Nui Dat. On the night of 16/17 August, mortars and recoilless rifles attacked Nui Dat from a position 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the east until counter-battery fire caused it to cease. The next morning D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR), departed Nui Dat to locate the firing points and the direction of the enemy withdrawal and weapon pits were found including mortars and RCLs. D Company clashed with VC around midday 18 August.

Facing a larger force, D Company called down artillery. Heavy fighting ensued as the VC attempted to encircle and destroy the Australians. After several hours two UH-1B Iroquois from No. 9 Squadron RAAF arrived overhead to resupply them. Supported by strong artillery fire, D Company held off a regimental assault before a relief force of M113 armoured personnel carriers and infantry from Nui Dat reinforced them at nighttime. The Australian forces had withdrawn to evacuate their casualties and formed a defensive position overnight. The next day Australian forces swept the area though the VC had withdrawn. The operation ended on 21 August.

Although 1 ATF initially thought it had suffered a defeat, it was later thought to have been a victory by preventing the VC from moving against Nui Dat. The battle's outcome was indecisive, with disagreements on its effect between the 275th Regiment and D445 Battalion. The D445 Battalion regarded the battle as a success, with the political victory of an effective ambush, and the securing of the areas around Long Tan village itself. While the 275th Regiment were unable to wipe out the entire company, it gained greater support among the local people by forcing a retreat. Whether the battle impaired the capabilities of the VC is disputed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Long_Tan

[sloatsburglibrary]

BOOK REVIEW

Told in dual perspectives of before and after chapters about Nicole and Morgan and the baby that is passed between them. This mystery thriller starts off when Nicole, a woman Morgan has never met, places a baby in her arms before jumping onto the train tracks. The strangest thing is that the woman knows Morgan’s name and tells her to look after her daughter.  During the police investigation Morgan becomes a suspect because there were no witnesses.  

To prove her innocence Morgan sets out to discover who Nicole was and what was their connection. The more she discovers the more she thinks that Nicole and her baby might have been in danger and now that danger could be facing her too.

I’d say this was a good story and kept my interest going because I also wanted to know what the connection was. And who is that mystery woman with the red hair? There were a few twists and turns in the story before you get to the truth.

This was a debut novel and it is available on RCLS as a book and Overdrive as an audio book.

[pogueman]

Royal Caribbean is making a big bet on technology

For the last few years, Royal Caribbean (RCL) has been on an almost maniacal push to turn its cruise ships into technology showpieces. Most of the developments are one-off technologies, massively expensive and time-consuming to develop and debug: robot bartenders, battery-powered bumper cars, a dedicated satellite for providing internet service, and so on.

Royal Caribbean is making a big bet on technology.

I now realize, of course, that they’re installing all of this tech for some perfectly self-interested reasons. One, of course, is to differentiate this cruise line from it rivals. Another is to keep the passengers entertained and having a good time. (The novelty of some of these features wears off quickly—but since you’re on board for only a few days, you don’t care.)

Last month, at an event called Sea Beyond, the company unveiled a showcase of the next technologies it’s developing. About a thousand journalists and travel agents toured these prototypes at the Brooklyn Navy Yards. I was among the invited, since—full disclosure—I had served as the emcee for the launch of an earlier RC ship in 2015.

Here’s what you have to look forward to—or maybe not.

Automated checkin with face recognition

As anyone who’s taken a cruise can tell you, the boarding process doesn’t get your vacation off to a great start. You’re herded into this huge hangar-like processing center at the port, and you wait in long lines dragging your luggage and children, so that you can reach a desk to get your photo taken and your room key issued.

RC’s existing boarding process is more efficient, because you can check yourself in and take your own photo at home, using the company’s app. But starting next year, the company hopes, things will be even quicker: You’ll simply stride onto the ship. Face recognition cameras will identify you (based on a photo you uploaded in the app), and a screen will welcome you by name as you walk through the metal detector.

They had the system working as we entered the Navy Yards building.

As you walk through security, a face-recognition camera checks you in instantly.

At the moment, it’s a purely optical system—there’s no 3-D modeling of your face, as there is on the iPhone X—so in theory, some evildoer could fool it with a photo. (But why would they bother? The minute the real you showed up, the system would flag you as already having checked in, and security would straighten it out.)

Drinks anywhere

At the event, you could order free drinks from the app—wherever you happened to be in the building. The waiters could find you, bearing your drink, thanks to GPS-like screens built into their serving trays, showing your current location and your face.

It worked great, even when I tried to fool my waiter by dashing into a different room when I saw him coming. Twice.

You order drinks from an app, wherever you happen to be on the ship; the waiter can hunt you down, thanks to a screen on his tray.

The system relies on Bluetooth beacons throughout the space; eventually, they’ll be installed on the ships themselves. Everybody wins: You don’t stand in lines, and the cruise line sells more drinks (because people don’t have to stand in line).

I interviewed Joey Hasty, a former Disney Imagineer who now leads RC’s innovation lab in Miami. Aren’t there some passengers who’ll find all of this tracking and facial scanning a little creepy?

“You can always opt out,” he replied. “If you really want to, the line will always be there.”

VR dining

By far the weirdest new technology on display is something they call virtual-reality dining.

I went into the mockup restaurant without having any idea what that meant. I sat down at a long table and put on HTC Vive virtual-reality goggles.

A weird way to eat.

What I saw inside the goggles was the inside of a Japanese tea house with traditionally decorated paper walls. A soothing female voice in the headphones explained that I was about to be transported.

In front of me, a waiter set down a tray containing three morsels of food. It was basically sushi, but I didn’t know that; all I could see was three glowing, sparkly colorful orbs—and my own hands, represented as silhouettes.

When the soothing voice gave me the go-ahead, I picked up the first orb and popped it into my mouth. At that moment, the music changed (the tray had sensors that knew when the bite was gone), and the walls of the tea room flew away in animated fragments, revealing that I was now in a cherry-blossom garden.

In this shot, the walls are in the middle of turning into birds that fly away, revealing a garden.

The same thing happened with each of the other two bites: the scenery and the music would change. Lighting, weather, locale.

My first thought was, “Man, this is weird.” And what does it get you? It isolates you from your dining companions. Furthermore, how food looks is an essential part of how it tastes; now you can’t see your food.

“It turns out that all of our senses are processed by the same part of our brain,” Hasty explained, “so it’s possible for us to use the visuals and the audio to hack and hijack your senses, to heighten the dining experience.” And I have to admit that that’s true: At this moment, I remember each of those three bites incredibly vividly (but weirdly).

“It might not ever make the best seven-course meal,” Hasty says, “but we think it can make an amazing dessert bar, for instance.”

Stateroom of the future

On RC’s existing Quantum-class ships, they’ve done something clever with interior cabins (the cheap ones that don’t have windows): Where the window would be, they’ve installed a floor-to-ceiling LCD screen. It displays whatever you would see if you had a window, thanks to a camera feed from outside the ship. In that way, it doesn’t feel so isolated from the real world.

But at the Sea Beyond event, a much more advanced stateroom concept was on display.

“As our ships get bigger and bigger and bigger, you start to be removed a little bit more and more from the ocean and the ports of call,” Hasty told me. “We believe the stateroom should connect you more with the ocean and our ports of call. And so we’re experimenting with ways to bring that outside in.”

The entire ceiling is a giant 4K OLED screen. There’s a foot-wide “river” winding its way across the floor—also an OLED screen. Two large “windows” on either wall are—that’s right—OLED screens, too.

All of these screens are synchronized so that they show different angles of the same scene. They can show, for example, the current conditions outside the ship. “We mirror exactly what you see outside, using 4K cameras. But since we can show you what’s really out there, we thought, ‘What if we could take you to fantastical places?’ Or maybe you wanted better weather or a sunset, a different time of day. So we let our guests control those scenes. With the tap of a button, you can turn daytime into a sunset, or the room can help you fall asleep by creating a canopy of stars.”

The prototype stateroom is filled with 4K OLED screens that transport you to different times, weathers, and places.

I tried out the sunset scene, the tropical rainforest scene, and the starry-night scene, complete with shooting stars. All of those screens, combined with a matching soundtrack, created truly transporting moments.

And the Misc.

Some of the other tech on display included:

Self-unlocking staterooms. The staterooms on display didn’t require a key or a wristband; if you have a smartphone, the door unlocks automatically when you approach. The lights come on, too.

Interior consumer tech. Inside, every room has an Apple (AAPL) TV (they’ve figure out how to auto-wipe the Apple TV after you leave, so that the next guest can log in with his own account). And Microsoft’s (MSFT) Cortana is always ready, so that you can adjust the temperature, the lighting, or the curtains with voice commands.

AR captain’s view. Ordinarily, when the captain is operating in fog or dark, he uses a radar screen to see what hazards are around the ship. But we also saw a mockup of a new pilot’s station, where a huge screen displayed an augmented-reality view of the channel and the buoys that would ordinarily be obscured.

AR posters. On one wall of the event space, RC had set up what looked like movie posters—but if you looked at them through the app on your phone, they became simple animated games.

Fuel cell demo. The cruise line will join Viking Cruise Lines and others in introducing fuel cells to power its ships. Fuel cells convert hydrogen directly into heat and water, producing no exhaust of any other kind; they’re 80% efficient, versus less than 50 for today’s diesel engines.

Sailing soon

 “I thought about Sea Beyond as a giant play test,” Hasty told me. “We got to put that experience in front of 1,000 people and see how people reacted.” He says that of these technologies will be on the company’s next-generation ships, called Edge (now under construction in France); and some will be retrofitted onto existing ships.

But isn’t it possible, I asked Hasty, that all of this technology risks killing the seafaring adventure of being on a ship at sea in the first place—the escape of it all?

“You know, I don’t think so,” he replied. “When we ask our guests what they really want from a vacation, they want more time with their family, they want more time for fun. No one says, ‘I want to spend an hour checking in,’ or ‘I want to wait in line at the bar for a drink.’ We talk a lot about giving you back that first day, that you sort of have to give up to get there. And we’re using technology to make that happen.”

More from David Pogue:

Battle of the 4K streaming boxes: Apple, Google, Amazon, and Roku

iPhone X review: Gorgeous, pricey, and worth it

Inside the Amazon company that’s even bigger than Amazon

The $50 Google Home Mini vs. the $50 Amazon Echo Dot — who wins?

The Fitbit Ionic doesn’t quite deserve the term ‘smartwatch’

Augmented reality? Pogue checks out 7 of the first iPhone AR apps 

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, is the author of “iPhone: The Missing Manual.” He welcomes nontoxic comments in the comments section below. On the web, he’s davidpogue.com. On Twitter, he’s @pogue. On email, he’s poguester@yahoo.com. You can read all his articles here, or you can sign up to get his columns by email. 

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How to Boost Your Push-up Capacity and Why You Should

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RealClearLife has partnered with InsideHook, the essential lifestyle guide for adventurous and established men. Sign up to get the best of InsideHook’s recommendations and advice delivered to your inbox every weekday.

Middle-school gym teachers can rest their case: knocking out 40 push-ups is good for your health, and it’s especially beneficial for those who’ve reached age 40.

This according to a team from Harvard’s School of Public Health, which recently published its findings on the association between an active adult man’s “push-up capacity” and his cardiovascular health. As part of the study, 1,104 men (all firefighters) took a baseline push-up test and were monitored over the course of 10 years. Those who completed 40 or more push-ups at the outset (compared to those who completed fewer than 10), displayed a diminished risk of cardiovascular disease by an astonishing 96%. And of the 37 CDV-related cases reported over the following decade, all but one came from a participant who’d performed less than 40 push-ups.

So, what does all that mean? Increased push-up capacity is a sign of longterm health in your heart. That might not sound particularly illuminating, but as the Harvard team deduced, you should be able to stage your own CDV-risk “test” just by getting on the floor. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach 40 (remember, the control group for this experiment was firefighters, with a mean age of 39.6), but if you’re really struggling to reach 10 or 15, you should consider devoting some time to the exercise. Upping your push-up capacity won’t singlehandely fix your cardiovascular health — better sleep and less alcohol/sodium/stress are also crazy important — but it’s a step in the right direction, and might spur healthier habits elsewhere in your life.

For more information on the study, head here, and for our tips on getting back into push-ups shape, see below.

Stretch For a long time, men just showed up to the gym and immediately started throwing around iron. Stretching, tissue work and dynamic warm-ups were either not considered or seen as unnecessary additions to a workout already under time constraints. That’s silly. Attempting a workout without stretching is like trying to telecommute using coffee-shop wifi. You will be more efficient, less stressed and more confident when everything’s running smoothly. We suggest loosening up the arms pre-push-ups with stretches of the pectorals, biceps, delts and lower back.

No shame in using the knees Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. Using a mat with each knee down behind you is an excellent way to reintroduce the motion to your arms and chest. You can also do semi-standing push-ups against a bench or incline. Just remember: don’t get complacent. Eventually you’ll have to try the exercise the traditional way, in order to make real progress.

Master the “perfect push-up” Nah, we’re not talking about the As Seen on TV sensation. A perfect push-up is a clean, slow down-and-up. Pumping the ground like you’re giving CPR — without much bend in the elbows — doesn’t count. It’s more than OK to sacrifice reps on push-ups if you’re doing them right. One old trick? Find your number for perfect push-ups … let’s say it’s 20. Halve it. Do five sets of that half-figure, each with a minute of rest in between. It’ll offer you volume without overwhelming.

Mix ’em up Flip over a BOSU ball and log push-ups while holding onto either end, balancing all the while. Grab a set of dumbbells and do five push-ups holding onto each, before doing some Renegades. (Alternating pulling each dumbbell up to your chest … neither easy nor fun.) Attempt some tricep push-ups on an exercise ball. The more methods you try, the more trivial plain old push-ups will seem. You’ll be cranking out 75 in no time.

Steal them during the day Not necessarily during a staff meeting or your daughter’s dance recital, but there are points during your day where you can “steal” a couple sets of push-ups. I had a coach who famously did sets during commercial breaks while watching TV. Bang out 20 in the morning before your shower, just to get the blood pumping, or as an added jolt to your warmup before a run. These “surprise sets” shouldn’t be high-intensity (see “Stretch” above) but can be a great way to make push-ups familiar and friendly.

If you enjoyed this article from InsideHook, they also have an excellent daily email with similar articles that spans the wide world of men’s lifestyle. You can sign up here.

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