5 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

Today is the first time this year heat restrictions have been issued in the Washington, DC area.

 

CSX has issued heat restrictions for MARC Camden and Brunswick lines.  CSX has also issued heat restrictions for VRE Fredericksburg line, including the Manassas line between Union Station and Alexandria.

 

NS uses a different criteria and has not issued heat restrictions as of now.

 

There will likely be further heat restrictions later this week as we are expecting highs above 80 and lows below 60 all week.

 

 

MARC Service Alert
 

Heat-related speed restrictions on Camden & Brunswick Line today, 5-15 minute delays possible.

 

CSX has issued heat-related speed restrictions on the Camden and Brunswick Lines for this afternoon. Trains will travel at reduced speed on both lines. 5-15 minute delays are possible--the fewer stops a train makes, the more delay it will incur (since express trains operate longer distances at a higher rate of speed). 

 

For passengers unfamiliar with heat-related speed restrictions, please visit http://tinyurl.com/marchighheat .

 

 

 

VRE Train Talk Alert

Heat Restrictions on the Fredericksburg Line for Monday 5/4

 

Heat restrictions on the Fredericksburg Line today from 1pm-7pm. 

 

For the uninitiated, heat related delays accumulate over the course of the trip so the farther you go, the longer the delay will be. If your destination is Franconia/Springfield, you will likely not notice the two minute delay. However, if you travel all the way to Fredericksburg, the delay will be approximately eleven minutes. The train crews will do everything they can to make up time along the way to minimize any delays.

 

If you have further questions, please follow this link  http://www.vre.org/f...heat_orders.htm

 

As always, thanks for riding VRE.

 

 

[jis]

It is more due to the wide variation in temperature between the minimum and the maximum, than the absolute high value of the maximum temp. It was not really that hot, but the variation from the minimum was apparently voer 40 degrees.

[CNJRoss]

It is more due to the wide variation in temperature between the minimum and the maximum, than the absolute high value of the maximum temp. It was not really that hot, but the variation from the minimum was apparently voer 40 degrees.

CSX issues heat restrictions when the hi/lo temperature range is 25 degrees or more; or when the temperatures reach about 90 degrees.  Our overnight low to high today was about 27 degrees.  We are expecting a 25 degree swing every day this week.  CSX adopted the 25 degree standard after the 2002 Autotrain derailment on a heat kink.

 

NS does not use a blanket criteria; track inspections are increased in hot weather; heat restrictions are issued if a problem is detected.

[jis]

One of the problems that was identified as peculiar to CSX in the investigation into the Crescent City derailment of the Auto Train was that CSX ballast standards were  less robust than on other railroads. They had a lower ballast shoulder than used by others. This of course increased the chance of getting heat kinks. I wonder if CSX has fixed that or their fix is just this 25 degree standard.

[CNJRoss]

MARC Service Alert, Tuesday 5/5 11;50 am:
 

Heat-related speed restrictions on Camden & Brunswick Line today, 5-15 minute delays possible.

 

CSX has issued heat-related speed restrictions on the Camden and Brunswick Lines for this afternoon. Trains will travel at reduced speed on both lines. 5-15 minute delays are possible--the fewer stops a train makes, the more delay it will incur (since express trains operate longer distances at a higher rate of speed). For passengers unfamiliar with heat-related speed restrictions, please visit http://tinyurl.com/marchighheat .

 

[CNJRoss]

VRE Train Talk Alert, Tuesday 5/5 1:16 pm:
 

Heat Restrictions on the Fredericksburg Line for Tuesday  5/5

 

Heat restrictions on the Fredericksburg Line today from 1pm-7pm. 

 

For the uninitiated, heat related delays accumulate over the course of the trip so the farther you go, the longer the delay will be. If your destination is Franconia/Springfield, you will likely not notice the two minute delay. However, if you travel all the way to Fredericksburg, the delay will be approximately eleven minutes. The train crews will do everything they can to make up time along the way to minimize any delays.

 

If you have further questions, please follow this link  http://www.vre.org/f...heat_orders.htm

 

As always, thanks for riding VRE.