Metra Lowers Speed Limit For Trains Due To Extreme Cold
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The deep freeze Chicagoans are waking up to can be tough on one of the busiest commuter rail lines in the country. Metra warned riders trains are running a little slow this morning to reduce stress on the tracks.
Metra has more than 240 stations across 11 rail lines along nearly 50 miles of track. So keeping the system clear of ice and snow can seem like a Herculean task.
The entire system is dependent on switches, the mechanical devices that help trains shift between sets of tracks. The trouble is, those switches can ice up in extreme cold or heavy snow. That's why flame heaters are used at some of the system's key switch points.
Track inspectors and signal maintainers have been working overtime to battle any cold weather-related problems if they should crop up. Metra ordered engineers to run locomotives all night long to keep them warm and ready for the morning rush.
Metra also reduces the speed of its trains when temperatures drop below zero, as a preventative measure to reduce the amount of stress on tracks, which can become brittle in extremely cold conditions, putting stress on welded joints. Speed restrictions on Metra trains went into effect at midnight due to the extreme cold, limiting them to a top speed of 65 mph, compared to the usual 79 mph. So commuters will need to give themselves a little extra time on Friday.
With more people riding trains during the cold, that can further add to delays. The addition of just 10 more people on each train can increase boarding time.
Passengers seem to understand and have been preparing for every part of their commute.
"It's going to be a little tough when I get to Union Station. I ride a bike to work," Metra commuter Joe Kawa said.
Just as the cold is stressful on train cars, it's also stressful on people.
Bilal Memon said he normally walks to the Metra station in Hinsdale, but he got a ride Friday morning, with the temperature down to about -4°.
"Too cold, man. Too cold. I mean, I would wear more clothes if I had to walk, but because I was getting a ride, you know, this is just a little bit extra," he said. "My fingers are frozen within the 30 seconds that I was coming in. It is very cold right now."
Larry Jennings rode a fold-up bike more than a mile to get to the Metra station. He said you can handle it as long as you prepare; one layer at a time.
"I have four; two plastics, one sweater, one shirt," Jennings said.
Crossing gates also can be affected by the frigid temperatures. Malfunctions in LaGrange and Brookfield blocked traffic Friday morning, prompting some drivers to go around the gates after they froze in the down position.