(Source: Wired, February 24, 2015)
NEW YORK — When jammed with ice, mechanical switches can become unmovable. Overhead wires may snap. Amtrak’s electric lines “are like any piece of metal—when they get cold, they get shorter,” says Augustine Ubaldi, a railroad engineering expert with Robson Forensics. “So as the wires keep tightening, they can actually snap.” The rails contract as well, posing risks for trains, especially at points where they are welded together. To mitigate the hazard, trains reduce speed, meaning slower journeys and system-wide delays.
Full story: www.wired.com