If I am writing about a #CrossBorderRail line in Europe, there is a VERY GOOD CHANCE that I know the fundamentals about it
Sure, I might not have read that 1987 impact assessment, or some 1952 railway company manual about it, but I am going to know why/if it's broken, and have ideas how to fix it
Because THIS IS MY JOB
So please reply to toots with that in mind
I know most of it isn't malevolent, but to receive replies as if I am utterly clueless gets very tiring
Today is a case in point.
I know the headaches with Kranenburg 🇩🇪 - Groesbeek 🇳🇱 and I wanted to CHECK a theory I had regarding Hassum 🇩🇪 - Gennep 🇳🇱 as an alternative (that doesn't work)
Now I have a clear idea of all the pieces of the jigsaw, and I am thorough getting to the bottom of problems
EVERY black pin on this map is a PLACE I HAVE PERSONALLY BEEN to check the state of railways on the ground https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#7/51.079371/10.898438
So sure, give me background, give me facts, give me alternatives to my ideas. But please do not assume I have not done my prep
All of Europe's rail borders - categorised by type, and whether I (Jon Worth) have been to the location. KEY Black - #000000: visited in 2022 during #CrossBorderRail Project Dark grey - #222222: visited in since the 2022 project Mid grey - #555555: tramways and narrow gauge lines, visited Light grey - #999999: not yet visited Very light grey - #BBBBBB: used for tramways and narrow gauge lines ICONS Track with cross - track is missing or out of use Train with cross, and track - track is useable but no passenger trains Train and track - passenger trains run Map developed as part of my #CrossBorderRail project http://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/
And if there is one thing all these borders have in common, it is that the problems are universal (they apply to Tornio 🇫🇮 - Haparanda 🇸🇪 just as they apply to Vilar Formoso 🇵🇹 - Ciudad Rodrigo 🇪🇸, yeah I went to those too) and they are political in nature.
Sure, that the train line crosses the town square in Groesbeek 🇳🇱 is unusual, but the political consequences of that are not that unusual.
Or another case in point: I went to the first #CrossBorderRail line at the Poland-Slovakia border in 2022, at Musyzna. Didn't understand it.
Then in 2025 went to Zwardoń and Zagórz and now I understand Musyzna.
@jon glad to see that also men get mansplained sometimes 🫠😉
At the same time, as someone who follows you, cares about this topic, but IS utterly clueless, I like replies that explain things.
Also, replying to people is MY job, and we always say, with public replies you’re not just doing it for the benefit of the person who posted, but also for everyone else who might read it.
Wait, did I just mansplain comment replies to you? Mea culpa! Whoopsie
Jon Worth
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