Too hot for the Washington Metro?

[marmar]

(Markette Smith — Washington, DC, WAMU) More details have emerged about the July 3 train car derailment that happened during rush hour near West Hyattsville, Md.

Metro engineers inspected the tracks a day before the derailment, but say they found no warning signs. The following day, a portion of the railing buckled from the pressure of prolonged 100-degree weather. This “heat kink” caused a six-car Green line train to jump the tracks.

Now, Metro officials say the only way to prevent that from happening again is to change the way they install railing system-wide.

Dave Kubecik, Deputy General Manager of Metro Operations, says the likelihood of a track buckling increases when temperatures climb higher than 85 degrees. So now, they’re trying new methods of installing rail that can withstand greater exposures to heat. .....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://transportationnation.org/2012/07/13/dc-metro-we-need-rail-that-can-handle-hotter-temperatures/

[onehandle]

1. Move along, peasants. Nothing to see here. Perfectly normal. nt

[FredStembottom]

2. Just pulling this out of my bottom,

Years ago tracks were laid wiith a gap in between one rail and the next. Hence, the clickety-clack of riding on trains that was enshrined in a hundred songs and compositions back in the day.

Somewhere in the past they started casting a link piece into that gap making rail travel clickety-clack free.

Is that the problem? With no gaps, the rails have no expansion room?

Just thinking out loud......

[hedgehog]

3. Gee, who could have predicted that temperatures in the DC area would

rise above 85 degrees?

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. Spain is hotter and their rails don't buckle from the heat.

Its cheap ass work and materials if you ask me.