30 Days Challenge

A few days ago I literally stumbled upon (via stumbleupon) with the following TED video.

This prompted me to start considering doing the same and start picking challenges to commit for 30 days periods.

So, I need ideas as little challenges in the beginning and eventually making them more complex and bigger . I'll be keeping a list of ideas and completed challenges here (which can also be seen in the top navigation bar). As my first challenge I'll take one picture a day.

Take the challenge!

Deutsche Bahn Infrastructure

By User:Wiki-observer (User:Wiki-observer) [CC-BY-SA-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

For anyone who had traveled using the German train system, it will be probably evident that there is a lot of infrastructure in disuse (an example in pictures).

Buildings in different small terminals, control towers, warehouses and train lines are completely almost falling apart, covered with plants or rusting. Completely and utterly abandoned. 

I started to wonder why this could be the case. There are at least two cases where better logistics impact in the infrastructure. First, with the advent of computers and thus a better logistics and quicker telecommunications systems, the need of such a decentralized control network is reduced and thus the operating costs can be reduced. 

By Saviour1981 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

And in the case of the train lines, the use of them can be planned and optimized to a higher degree, being modified dynamically in a much easier way. Thus the need of lines is reduced and also their maintenance. And probably many of those lines still exist because the cost of taking them out would be higher than just let them lay there.