Our local train "Bipper Lisi"
Our small village is being modernised. There has been a lot of housing development in the last 10-15 years but the roads didn't grow with it. The powers that be, our local council, decided that a through road must be built. This is not so simple. It costs a lot of money (but we are Swiss so there should be plenty available
As can be imagined, building a through road is not so simple when a set of rails have to be conquered. Switzerland being a country that has carved railways and roads through their alpine mountains, this should not present a problem. At our local annual council meeting, open to the public, the decision was made to go ahead and some half year later the road builders moved in with their machines and signs and work started.
First of all the main road had to be organised. This meant various new temporary traffic lights showing that only one-way traffic was allowed - not all day, only during the rush hours. Then the digging began. The inhabitants of the village could watch the progress day by day and this could be summarised by a question I heard one of the neighbours asking the work chief "Do you actually know what you are doing?".
It seemed that as work progressed islands were being developed on the road to keep the traffic in disciplined lanes. Not just islands, but they are filled with earth and come Spring we will probably have small gardens being planted amidst the traffic. Some of the locals found it would be a good idea to perhaps build a small pond on the islands and plant a palm tree, but unfortunately this idea was rejected due to the cold icy Swiss Winters. Although the idea did arise about the building of an ice rink, but due to lack of space this was also turned down.
Having completed the road organisation, the Bipper Lisi problem was still there, but our brave Swiss road workers continued and a wonderful system of barriers was built to enable people to leave the village safely without having a confrontation with Bipper Lisi. I remember so well the first time I drove across the railway lines with my husband driving the car and our big red train came towards us shining in the morning sun. Unfortunately we found that we were sitting on the railway lines and if we didn't make a quick getaway we might be killed by our local train. We also hoped that the barrier didn't descend otherwise it might be that the boot of our car would be crushed by its weight. Luckily there was a gap in the traffic on the main road and it was foot down, give gas and go, go, go.
After this confrontation, I decided to stick to the old road and avoid anything to do with our new through road. It might be slower, but it was healthier. However, 2 weeks later there was an article in our local newspaper praising the modern system that had been built into our new road. It seems that when you drive out of the village there are sensors built into the road which detect when a car is on the railway lines and the train is coming. This ensures that the train makes a full breaking manoevre and the barrier stays open. There is no danger for the car and its passengers and there is no possibility of a fatal accident.
Bipper Lisi often makes breaking manoevres, it cannot be ignored in the village. Before the new system was built she often made an urgent stop - her whistle blew, her brakes screeched and it was quite a spectacle. Thinking things over I have decided to use the old road - it might be less exciting but somehow I feel safer.
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