A train of risks: Extreme heat's hidden impacts on a vital industry
Does extreme heat make you move slower? You’re not the only one!
Extreme heat affects us all: from daily activities to overall health, extreme heat has a large impact on humans. But humans and other living creatures aren’t the only ones impacted by the boiling temperatures.
Trains are also impacted by extreme temperatures in the summer, which could cause some frustrating impacts to your daily commute.
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It’s a little misleading to say the trains are the ones directly impacted by the heat, however—it’s really the railroad tracks that are impacted, which in turn affect how the trains run.
Railroad tracks are made of thick wood ties and steel rails. When exposed to the blistering heat and sun, the steel rails will heat up and expand, causing them to potentially warp and buckle. This is called a rail deviation, also known as a “sun kink.”
When there is an increased risk for these deviations, or kinks, in the railway due to extreme heat, conductors and engineers are ordered to slow the train to about 10-15 km/h below the usual speed limit. This not only reduces the amount of stress put on the warped rails by the passing trains but also minimizes the risk of a derailment.
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But how hot does it need to be outside for trains to have to slow down? That answer will vary across Canada, and it all comes down to the topography of the area, such as whether or not the terrain is flat or rocky or if the route is straight or curvy.
Railway companies and transportation agencies, such as Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission, also regularly patrol their railways to monitor how the tracks are responding to the prolonged high temperatures and identify specific areas where action may need to be taken to ensure the safety of everyone on board the trains.
With files from Jordyn Read, a content creator at The Weather Network.
Thumbnail image created by Anika Beaudry using Canva Pro.