Flooding was caused by a slow-moving, low-pressure weather system that sat over the region from 15 July, releasing two months’ worth of rain in two days. Over 10 inches of rain fell continuously in some places in the hilly Ardennes, Eifel, and Ruhr regions; in many cases, this was then channeled down steep-sided river valleys, unleashing massive destructive power in towns and villages in the water’s path.
There's nothing quite like modern rail; just ask the Germans:
That's not going to buff right out...these lines will be down for months (and in many cases, years).
You can see why so many politicians here in America are so eager to dump millions of tax dollars into modern rail.
