Does Amtrak slow down in poor visibility?

[norfolkwesternhenry]

I was wondering if during periods of low visibility, (snow, pouring rain, dust, etc), will Amtrak trains slow to the rule of thumb of "be able to stop in half the distance you can see.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

No even in good weather the half distance of what you can see would not be valid .

Engineers have to trust signal system including speed control . as for trespassers they are fair game, they do not belong on track,

no dump till you hear thump...

 

[jis]

I was wondering if during periods of low visibility, (snow, pouring rain, dust, etc), will Amtrak trains slow to the rule of thumb of "be able to stop in half the distance you can see.

Depends on the quality of signaling system available. For example, on the NEC with full PTC they will probably run according to the cab signaling system under ACSES at whatever speed it says is OK. OTOH, out in the sticks in Vermont, who knows?

 

[Dutchrailnut]

no matter what signal system, it will not see weather conditions be it regular signals, cab signal with or without ATC or a PTC system.

so rain or wind or snow trust and fact you should be only one on that part of railroad.

 

[wjh2]

Last year, I was on the westbound Capitol Limited somewhere in Indiana when it started storming and continued all the way to Chicago. I could barely see very far out the windows, but the train continued at regular speeds all the way.

 

[jis]

no matter what signal system, it will not see weather conditions be it regular signals, cab signal with or without ATC or a PTC system.

so rain or wind or snow trust and fact you should be only one on that part of railroad.

If there is no cab signal then at least the trackside signals must be visible for trains to operate safely. When the engineer cannot see the signals due to fog, rain or snow, they have to slow down. Maybe there is some magic in the eyesight of US engineers, but elsewhere they do slow down when fog or torrential rain makes signals hard to see.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

ok perspective, as from having run engines for 30 years and you feelling as how it should work, I got it.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

"Able to stop within Half a range of vision" is when the signals are malfunctioning, and the dispatcher gives the engineer permission to proceed.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I was wondering if during periods of low visibility, (snow, pouring rain, dust, etc), will Amtrak trains slow to the rule of thumb of "be able to stop in half the distance you can see.

Being able to stop within one half the range of vision is not a rule of thumb. That is (depending on your rule book) restricted speed or controlled speed, which has specific applications based upon rules and signals.

There are rules available for crews to regulate their speed based upon prevailing conditions and if visibility is compromised.

However, that is a personal decision based upon the judgement of the crew and is applied on that basis.

 

[jis]

Elsewhere what many have observed, for example in north India every winter, due to compromised visibility in pea soup fog trains are delayed upto six seven hours on a sixteen hour schedule. This is such a regular occurrence that in winter additional consists are allocated in order to maintain daily service in face of such delays. But service is maintained according to a modified timetable.

 

[neroden]

With today's wayside signals, the weather has to be *really* bad for them to be unreadable at speed. I do remember a train slowing down so the engineer could read the signal once.

 

[Ziv]

I have seen videos of trains in Canada going full blast through snowbanks so high that they limited the engineers sight-line to, oh, around 24" in front of his eyes. LOL!

Not sure if that is normal for winter, or if it is a one off that the employees filmed due to its rarity. Spectacular, though. The trains might have been doing 60 mph or they might have been going 80 mph, hard to tell with a video.

 

[Montreal Ltd]

I was on Via Rail going from Toronto to Montreal in the early 1980's, the sky was black despite it being midafternoon, and the train was constantly slowing and stopping. Turned out that storm had tornadoes.

 

[railiner]

It's not just atmospheric visibility that can slow Amtrak down, but topography as well.....during certain times of the year, when rockslides are prevalent, the CZ will run at restricted speed in the curvy, mountainous territory. Even with a hi-rail vehicle piloting ahead of the train, rockslides can be sudden, and devastating.....