Septa Dealing With Slippery Rails Due To Autumn Leaves
By Dan Wing
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- While the falling leaves in the Delaware Valley are easy on the eyes this time of year, they do present some danger to commuters.
We've all hit the skids on a pile of wet leaves, but the fall foliage also creates some slick conditions on the area's railways.
SEPTA calls it "slippery rail season," according to spokesman Andrew Busch.
"When the leaves fall off the trees, this can leave behind a slick residue," he tells KYW Newsradio, "kind of like a coating on the rails. What this coating does is it decreases the friction between the train wheels and the rails."
Busch says some SEPTA services, such as Regional Rails, trolleys, and the Norristown High Speed Line may experience some minor delays as some trains move a little slower in order to ensure passenger safety.
Service updates will be posted online at septa.org, and to the transit agency's Twitter feeds.
