Room Alert Helps The Trains Run On Time

Record-breaking heatwaves are currently affecting hundreds of millions of people around the world. Wildfires, roofs melting, and agricultural threats are just a few examples of how this heat is scorching people and property. In the US, the high temperature is specifically impacting intercity train operations. Passenger & freight railroad carriers are experiencing delays in regards to trains running between New York and Philadelphia. Passenger & freight railroad carriers simply do not have the infrastructure in place to support these triple digital temps, and there is no let up in sight.

How Is The Heat Affecting Trains?

When it is extremely hot outside, the train tracks heat up. This causes the rails and overhead wires to expand. As steel heats, there is an increase in the risk of rail lines bending, flexing or buckling as well as the amount of heat they transfer to other parts of the rail infrastructure. To compensate for this risk, the trains must reduce their speeds. Slower speeds mean that the trains are not able to run on time and that is leading to delays. According to a 2019 article in the publication Transport Policy, delays in the US rail network due to temperature could cost $45 to $60 billion cumulatively by 2100. However, changing the steel mix for the over 140,000 miles of rails in the US is a very time-consuming and expensive alteration that, even if executed perfectly, cannot keep up with rising temperatures.

In addition to the physical impacts on rails and wires, the equipment trains depend on to run reliably and safely are also impacted by high temperatures. All across the miles of train rails are switching gear, safety lights, road crossing gates, monitoring devices and other electronics often installed in metal equipment shelters that often overheat when the outside temperature is too high. By far the most cost-effective and timely solution is to monitor the trains and their necessary equipment with Room Alert proactive environment monitoring.

Room Alert Can Help The Trains Run On Time

Room Alert is the best environment monitoring solution available because it is designed to be a robust and integral component in Business Continuity and risk mitigation. The Room Alert platform consists of monitors, sensors, accessories and software that work together to protect people, property, and productivity. Room Alert is easy to use, affordable and reliable. It pays for itself after just one instance of avoided downtime and damage. Room Alert provides peace of mind by keeping you and your team in the know about changes in your environment’s conditions such as a spike in temperature/ humidity, or an unexpected power outage. Room Alert can help the trains run on time by overseeing the environmental conditions like temperature and alerting you to any changes. 

For example, if you have Room Alert monitors and sensors installed on a passenger & freight railroad, then you can be promptly notified via text or email if Room Alert detects that the rail temperature has spiked to 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius). The valuable insight that Room Alert provides allows for more effective communication and problem-solving between you and your team. Room Alert decreases the time it takes for you to respond as well as the time for potential damage to unfold. In this situation, you can slow the train down to 100mph or less which will make a considerable difference because these trains would usually travel between 125 and 150 mph. With the train slowing its speed, you’ve drastically reduced the likelihood of the rail lines warping and leading to deadly accidents. Room Alert also provides a more accurate analysis so that the train slowing could be targeted for a set number of miles and hours.

Room Alert Can Monitor Data Enclosures

Room Alert can also be used to oversee the data enclosures that are commonly found on railroad tracks. Data enclosures house wayside controllers and critical electronic equipment affiliated with switching stations, signal equipment at road crossings, communication, train location and position reporting. Data enclosures are absolutely essential to ensuring the trains run safely and on time. However because data enclosures are located on the train tracks themselves, they are exposed to the elements. In extremely high temperatures, such as the heatwaves we are currently seeing around the world, data enclosures can overheat and malfunction. Due to their location, data enclosures are typically unmanned so Room Alert is perfect for making sure you always have eyes on site. 

Prevent costly downtime due to high heat and keep the trains running on time with advanced and secure Room Alert.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact us today through email at Sales@AVTECH.com, through our online Live Chat service, or via phone at 401.628.1600.          

You can also visit our YouTube Channel and read our articles here to learn many other reasons why you need Proactive Environment Monitoring with Room Alert.