Reecemartin
Active Member
Given the fact that it seems we are getting longer and hotter summers with more heat waves and more variable winters I think its obvious that our climate is changing something which scientists are telling us we can expect more of.
A general question I was to pose is how do we adapt our rail systems for these conditions?
I know GO Transit deals with frequent sun kinks in hot weather due to the tensioning of the tracks so here are some questions:
A general question I was to pose is how do we adapt our rail systems for these conditions?
I know GO Transit deals with frequent sun kinks in hot weather due to the tensioning of the tracks so here are some questions:
- Is track tensioning changed between Winter and Summer typically?
- How will a greater temperature range affect service? (Toronto has a massive temperature range from <-20 C to >+30 C that's greater than 50 C of range!)
- One benefit of Subway that's heavily tunnelled vs. something like the Vancouver Skytrain is that there isn't the issue of direct sunlight heating the rails i.e. less kinking, how do we think at grade track will fare down the line?
- Does anyone have any proposed solutions to these issues? (Are there any kind of rails that have less of a thermal expansion issue?)