yarrow
Engineer
when are heat restrictions imposed? are they a uniform speed if the temperature is above a certain point or do they very by track condition, host railroad and area?
Each railroad has its own heat restriction agenda. FYI, there are also cold weather speed restrictions.when are heat restrictions imposed? are they a uniform speed if the temperature is above a certain point or do they very by track condition, host railroad and area?
[this is resurrecting a 3 year thread, but it is on topic]what are Amtraks' plans late July 2011 for managing passenger and car safety during the current heat wave, in the NEC?
I have no idea of the American rules on heat, but here in Denmark track conditions is a factor.when are heat restrictions imposed? are they a uniform speed if the temperature is above a certain point or do they very by track condition, host railroad and area?
Any FAA shutdown won't affect essential air traffic control operations. If anything, it would increase air passenger traffic since some taxes won't be collected which will lower fares.This should be interesting for Amtrak if the heat wave continues AND there is a partial FAA shutdown.
Hmmm... And so now it IS happening. :unsure: Thanks a lot!!! :angry: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle:Now, of course, that I have posted this, the NEC will have a melt-down... h34r:
Dang, should have NEVER that last sentence. The Amtrak status map for the NEC is now a lot of yellow and red tags! Now, there is reportedly a major service disruption between NYP and BOS. Oh dear. :help:The issues with the NEC for extreme heat are going to be with the catenary, more so than the tracks. Checking the Amtrak status map for the NEC as of 3:30 PM ET July 22, knock on wood, it is almost all green. Hardly any delays. Doing ok for 100+ degree temperatures over much of the NEC - so far. Maybe the work to rebuild and upgrade the power system is paying off, because I would expect with the A/C cranking on all the Amtrak and commuter trains, the power load is higher than normal. Now, of course, that I have posted this, the NEC will have a melt-down... h34r:
The US term is normally sun kink or buckling. Track condition is a big factor.I have no idea of the American rules on heat, but here in Denmark track conditions is a factor.
The danger is what we here calls suncurves (again I have no clue of the English expression). They can happen when the rails expand in the heat and the pressure gets too big and suddenly the rails loose their grip in the ground and form bulge. If this happens when a train goes over at high speed the train will derail.
While there was indeed a major derailment of the Auto Train that killed several people and badly damaged many cars, it wasn't because CSX had failed to impose heat restrictions. It was because CSX had improperly handled the track IIRC. While I'm not an expert in this area, a simplification of things goes like this. When you go to weld the rail, you first heat it to what's called the median temperature. This puts the rail in the right position for contraction and expansion, kind of s sweet spot if you will. Then when the rail is at that point, you weld the two ends together.It seems to me there was a major accident on the Auto Train due to heat restrictions not being imposed by CSX in Florida, years ago. Maybe that was not the ending cause, but I remember a major factor considered.
Amtrak Crews have mentioned that CSX hates Amtrak, hate is a strong word, but that word was used. It is my understanding CSX did not want the 1st leg of the Sunset Limited to resume as it is on their tracks.While there was indeed a major derailment of the Auto Train that killed several people and badly damaged many cars, it wasn't because CSX had failed to impose heat restrictions. It was because CSX had improperly handled the track IIRC. While I'm not an expert in this area, a simplification of things goes like this. When you go to weld the rail, you first heat it to what's called the median temperature. This puts the rail in the right position for contraction and expansion, kind of s sweet spot if you will. Then when the rail is at that point, you weld the two ends together.It seems to me there was a major accident on the Auto Train due to heat restrictions not being imposed by CSX in Florida, years ago. Maybe that was not the ending cause, but I remember a major factor considered.
The crew in the field failed to properly heat the rails to the correct temp before welding. They further made things worse by not properly dealing with the ballast. A heat wave hit and right after a southbound coal train passed (the crew reported a rough ride), the rail moved under the immense pressure. Shortly after along came Amtrak and on the ground it went.
It was after that accident, and another with the Capitol Limited where the CSX crews forgot to impose a slow order after doing track work, that CSX decided to punish Amtrak for falling off its rails by imposing a slow order during heat waves now. Mind you freight trains hauling things like chlorine gas that can kill many more people continue to run at normal speed.
CSX gave Amtrak permission to restart service 6 months after Katrina. The fact that the Sunset east isn't running is all on Amtrak. CSX has nothing to do with it.Amtrak Crews have mentioned that CSX hates Amtrak, hate is a strong word, but that word was used. It is my understanding CSX did not want the 1st leg of the Sunset Limited to resume as it is on their tracks.While there was indeed a major derailment of the Auto Train that killed several people and badly damaged many cars, it wasn't because CSX had failed to impose heat restrictions. It was because CSX had improperly handled the track IIRC. While I'm not an expert in this area, a simplification of things goes like this. When you go to weld the rail, you first heat it to what's called the median temperature. This puts the rail in the right position for contraction and expansion, kind of s sweet spot if you will. Then when the rail is at that point, you weld the two ends together.It seems to me there was a major accident on the Auto Train due to heat restrictions not being imposed by CSX in Florida, years ago. Maybe that was not the ending cause, but I remember a major factor considered.
The crew in the field failed to properly heat the rails to the correct temp before welding. They further made things worse by not properly dealing with the ballast. A heat wave hit and right after a southbound coal train passed (the crew reported a rough ride), the rail moved under the immense pressure. Shortly after along came Amtrak and on the ground it went.
It was after that accident, and another with the Capitol Limited where the CSX crews forgot to impose a slow order after doing track work, that CSX decided to punish Amtrak for falling off its rails by imposing a slow order during heat waves now. Mind you freight trains hauling things like chlorine gas that can kill many more people continue to run at normal speed.
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