In Melbourne, Australia, a frayed power line gave way today at Southern Cross Station. The resulting domino effect took out most of the city's transit system during the heavy morning commute.
When the power line broke, "a train travelling along this section of track went under the drooping power wire. It became entangled in the cable, shorting out overhead voltage."
The power disruption shut down Southern Cross Station and also the nearby Flinders Street Station, both major stops on the line, effectively blocking east/west traffic in Melbourne.
Metro, the transit operator, has been working on replacing worn power lines since taking over the system in 2009.
FULL STORY: How one snap hit the entire rail system

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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research