Excessive heat impacts passenger rail and transit operations in Pacific Northwest

[Worried2020]

1. I worked on the railway during the 90s

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A hot sunny day can make the heat out on the tracks unbearable as all that mass of steel heats up.

Warpage wasn't much of a problem in the old days where all rails were bolted together, and had gaps that allowed for expansion and contracting - ergo the clik clik clik of the wheels -

But now, much of our rails is CWR - Constant Welded Rail ( now referred to as LWR - long welded rail) which eliminates most of the gaps. Didn't work out too well where the climates are extreme . . . .




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