(The Associated Press circulated the following article on July 20.)
ST. MARYS, Kan. — Apparently, not even railroad tracks can stand up to the brutal heat wave that hit Kansas this week.
Because rail expands under high temperatures, railroad officials this week told locomotive engineers to reduce speeds in areas where high temperatures have been reported.
Railroad officials said heat caused Union Pacific Railroad tracks near St. Marys to buckle Monday, causing about 30 cars to derail. No one was injured.
“It was heat related,” said Union Pacific spokesman James Barnes, “The track can misalign itself if it is too hot.”
A second derailment was reported in northeast Kansas on Tuesday afternoon on Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway track nine miles east of Emporia, when temperatures hovered near 100 degrees. Twelve cars carrying stacks of containers derailed.
Steve Forsberg, BNSF spokesman, and Barnes said their respective railroads had programs to reduce thermal derailments. Locomotive engineers are told to report any questionable track, which workers then inspect.
“When we anticipate areas of concern, we do send out speed advisories so we can operate as safely as possible,” Barnes said.