Amtrak has announced an extreme heat warning for the Northeast region, signaling that trains running between New York and Philadelphia might experience delays.
Amtrak's California Zephyr passenger train departs Chicago Union Station in Chicago, March 2, 2022.for the Northeast region, signaling that trains running between New York and Philadelphia might experience delays.High temperatures cause the rails and overhead wires to expand. The service is affected because the trains have to travel at lower speeds to avoid accidents.
A rail temperature of 131 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, requires the train to slow down to 100 mph or less, where an Amtrak train wouldWith extreme heat also comes the risk of rails warping, which can cause train derailments, rolling black outs and subsequent service disruptions, according to Nick Bassill, a meteorologist at the University of Albany who regularly works with state governments and utility companies.
A New Siemens SC-44 Charger locomotive sits parked in an Amtrak rail yard at Chicago Union Station in Chicago, March 2, 2022.A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation wrote in an email to ABC News that “one issue that receives attention during summertime is ‘sun kink’ which is a track buckling condition that can occur during extended periods of extremely high temperatures where continuous welded rail is in use.
A train derailment in the San Francisco bay area this May was due to “a rapid increase in ambient temperatures,”