perpetual motion

I recently learned, from a reliable source, that a handful of the diesel powered locomotives operated by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail are never shut off. Let that sink in for a moment. A train like the one pictured above, whether it is travelling or just sitting, is always on. The reason is that it can be difficult to restart such a large engine once it has stopped.

Why bother trying? If it is acceptable for a mass transit organization to waste energy and pollute the urban environment to such a degree, then how the heck are we going to make progress with anything?

More upbeat post tomorrow. I promise.