Just to show that problems exist on rail networks in other countries too
 

Heat warps train lines

3 July 2006

AMSTERDAM — The tropical temperatures in the Netherlands are causing delays on the country's rail network.

Network manager ProRail said on Monday there is little it can do to stop tracks buckling and warping in the 30 degree plus heat.

Services between the neighbouring stations of Amsterdam Amstel and Amsterdam Muiderpoort were delayed by damaged rails on Sunday. A train left the rails between Heerlen and Herzogenrath on Saturday. No one was injured in that incident.

But three passengers were injured when a local train from Utrecht to Leiden derailed at Zwammerdam on Friday.

"It doesn't happen very often, but by chance there have been three such

occurrences within a short period of time. This is a result of the expansion of the metal," a ProRail spokesperson said.

The only solution is to keep the rails cool with water. "And that is endless work," the spokesperson said. Officials are still investigating the Zwammerdam accident.

Meanwhile, there were reports on Monday that the heat was playing havoc with bridges in Friesland. Many would not open to allow boats to pass by and some could not be closed afterwards.

Im no engineer, so the physics of things would not be my strong point.

But railways have been laid all over the planet in all kinds of climates. So is the problem of expanding/warping rails a big issue in places such as India and Australia, to name but a few or are ProRail in Holland, pulling the flugel. Spain has temperatures like that all summer long and Germany, amid world cup frenzy had silimlar temps. But no reports of dodgy rails due to heat.

Could it be down to how the rails are laid? Or welded?

It was hot in Europe this week, I suffered.

The air temp might be 30+ but the rail can easily reach 60+, the forces in the rail for even a 1 degree change are significant

The rail if continuously welded s normally stressed to cope with a range of temperature extremes, if its not stressed correctly it will buckle.

Indeed, it's been incredibly hot.... I look very pink this morning :-(

I assume the difference between the tracks in Europe and other hot countries is that the difference between the winter and summer temps? In winter it hits about -20 (or less), and it summer it's 35+, so the track has to be able to deal with both. But I'm just guessing.

As I understand it, it's all down to the amount of expansion they allow for in the track design. The Netherlands, being a northern Eurpoean coastal country, wouldn't expect the same tempertures as more southerly countries, and if the temperture goes outside the range the expansion joints can cope with, the track will buckle.

I expect the same would happen here if we had similar tempertures to cope with. The only difference is that we're so used to rubbish track that we probably wouldn't notice.

:D