(The following story by Richard Wronski and Jon Hilkevitch appeared on the Chicago Tribune website on January 15, 2009.)
CHICAGO — Metra riders needn’t be alarmed to see a fiery glow at certain spots along the railroad tracks Thursday. It’s just gas heaters keeping the switches from freezing.
As temperatures plunge below zero, crews will be out in force on Metra and the CTA, using heaters and other equipment to keep switches and third rails free of snow and ice, transit’s biggest headache this time of year.
“The switches are our most vulnerable points in a storm, especially with blowing snow,” Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said.
Extreme cold represents more of a hindrance than just snow to keeping passenger trains on schedule, transit officials said Wednesday. But mix the two together and there is a potential for major service disruptions.
The challenges range from keeping the moving parts working on mechanical equipment to ensuring that electronic signals and wires that supply power to the CTA’s electrified third rail do not short out because of freezing rain and wet heavy snow, authorities said.
Metra reported 26 train delays across its entire system Wednesday morning due to weather-related problems and slower than usual boarding.
Most delays were between 10 and 12 minutes, although one Union Pacific train was delayed 45 minutes because of mechanical problems. Two trains, one on the North Central Line and the other on the Rock Island, were canceled because of mechanical problems.
The CTA reported minor delays on its rail lines Wednesday caused by weather-related train equipment problems, mostly on its oldest trains. Most of the failures involved the transit agency’s oldest trains, which are 40 years old and slated for retirement as soon as new trains are delivered starting in 2010, said CTA president Ron Huberman.
“Given the fact that all of our equipment is aging every year without overhauls, we are fighting an uphill battle,” CTA president Ron Huberman said.
One of the longest delays, 11 minutes, occurred about 7:05 a.m. at the Library station on the Orange Line, when doors on a train failed to operate, said CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney.
Undaunted, commuters such as George Gondoro, 51, of Lincolnshire already were planning for Thursday’s deep freeze and the possibility of delays.
Gondoro favors a furry Russian cap with ear flaps that he breaks out for subzero weather. And he’ll arrive an hour early Thursday to try to nail a good parking place.
“Unfortunately, everybody has the same idea,” he said.