Do trains still run in rain and wind?

Question

i meant like if the winds are really heavy and theres like really heavy rain.

Answer 1

That is NOT a stupid question, and trains do not always run in the wind, under very extreme conditions rail traffic will be curtailed.

I have known trains to be literally blown off the tracks

but it takes winds over a hundred miles an hour to do it

and yes tracks can wash out and be flooded, mudslides can close lines

You shold not worry about it though, tracks are protected by signals that are designed to let the train crews know if there are problems

And when weather conditions get bad enough to be a threat railroads usually put on extra track patrols to monitor the track and right of way.

Relax, enjoy your trip, you are in more dnager on the ride to the train station then while you are on the train.

Answer 2

What IS IT with the stupid questions today?

Trains have ALWAYS run in wind and rain... where did you hear they didn't?

Answer 3

Most of the time they keep going The UPRR has a list of what they call blowover wind speed for different kinds of equipment If wind is really severe we have to stop til it quits  The train dispatcher will call us and tell us the wind is going to exceed our blowover speed As far as rain they will just issue us an order telling us to expect heavy rain then it's up to us to use caution approaching bridges and culverts that could be washed out

Answer 4

Last time I checked...

Answer 5

yuppers!!

Answer 6

And why should they not?

Answer 7

Winds of 50 to 60 m.p.h. may cause some disruption because of trees and other objects blowing down accross the track; also the overhead wires on some electrified lines can be troublesome in extremely stormy weather.

Answer 8

I guess it's the ol' saying "different strokes for different folks."  With that being said....I'll give you the BNSF policy.  It's not a stupid question by the way.  I have been stopped on the tracks several times due to high wind warnings.  I'm not sure as to the rule of required speed..."I always have to get the rule book out for high wind advisory."  Anywho, we are required "by the rules" to stop our train when we are in the high wind advisory until the wind subsides.  There are certain trains that may continue...."I believe intermodal trains"...and certain trains that have to stay put until the wind advisory is lifted.  And like mentioned before, the dispatcher instructs us on what we shall do after briefing with the crew.  Sometimes what they have on the computer isn't what we're experiencing.  As far as rain, snow or anything else like flying cows etcl....if ANYTHING obstructs our vision while we are "running" we are again "required" by the rules to stop until the obstruction is removed.  Most guys just keep going but i've been in snow so hard that I couldn't see past the nose of the engine.  If you fail to whistle one crossing because of this and someone gets hurt.........you'll be hurting too.  This is just on the BNSF I don't know about the UP, CSX, etc.  Regardless what anyone may have told you.  Mother Nature DOES affect train movement.  Just because the trains are big and heavy doesn't mean they will not blow over or fall off the tracks.

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

yes unless its like a hurrican or typhoon

Answer 11

In the United States, the decision to cancel a train due to extremely poor weather is up to the dispatcher who controls the section of track.  The dispatcher would check with his company management before doing so.

With that said, both freight and passenger trains are only cancelled when it would be hazardous to operate them.  A hurricane would likely cancel trains, as would flooding following a severe rain storm.

Railroads don't like to cancel trains, as it costs them money and creates backups and confusion.  But, it would be worse to operate a train and have it derail, or worse, cost the life of the crew.  Before Hurricane Katrina, the railroads serving the Gulf Coast cancelled their trains serving the areas that were predicted to be in the path of the storm.  Good thing they did so, in light of the devastation that resulted from the storm.

Answer 12

Trains are much heavier than automobiles and are generally not affected very much by wind and rain.

That wasn't always the case.  For instance, the Newfoundland Railway used to delay or even cancel trains because the wind could be so severe that there was concern that the narrow guage trains might blow over!

Answer 13

I was watching the BBC TV Breakfast Time news this morning. Reports of heavy weather all over the UK and Ireland.

They showed a clip of a train running on a track along the sea wall in Dawlish, Devon. The waves were breaking over the wall and over the top of the train.

There were speed restrictions in some areas but the trains were still operating.

So yes, the claim often made by rail operators, 'Our Trains Keep Going in All Weathers' is basically true.

It takes a lot of weather to stop a train!

Answer 14

Trains will run in all kinds of weather.

Answer 15

Of course, in New York, MTA tries to operate trains and subways during hurricanes, snow, and rain unless if rain flood into subway system which makes outdaded water pumps cannot handle that much rain as you seen in August disaster, which suspended entire subway service and major chaos on city buses.

Long Island Railroad, Metro-North Railroad and New Jersey Transit try to operate 24-hour unless if storm is getting worth, they most likely to suspend the service or go with very reduce speed. Or sometimes bus provide replacement.

Answer 16

If you are in the UK (which I suspect you are, having regard to the reports of heavy storms tomorrow), the answer is, yes the trains will run and will not be cancelled by the weather unless:-

1. The winds are so strong they bring the overhead down on electric lines like the East and West Coast main lines.

2. As above, but the winds get the overhead tangled with a pantograph

3. The winds bring down trees or other things across lines.

4. The rain is so heavy as to cause flooding or wash embankments etc away (as happened in places in last summer's storms)

Answer 17

Well, first off, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

Secondly, wind does cause operating problems, dependent of the area.

Where I live, in Mt Shasta, California, the winds usually blow from the south, but, as the wind blows through the two passes on either side of the mountain, it picks up tremendous velocity.  And, it blows nearly constantly.

I have seen with my own eyes, double stack container cars having the windward side wheel lifting off the rail.  I have seen vans blow of TOFC cars while others took out a track-side detector.  

One night on the bridge over Whitney Creek, a train went into emergency.  Still running cabooses at the time, the trainmen from the rear end and head end inspected the entire train, according to the rules.  They found that the train had come uncoupled.  It happens sometimes.

But, it didn't come apart due to failed equipment.  The couplers themselves were still closed at the point of separation.  It was assumed the couplers had "slipped by."  The train was re-coupled, and away they went.

Later than evening, as the train was yarded at Klamath Falls, the yard clerk checking the train's consist noted that the cars didn't jive with his list.  The yardmaster called the Conductor to see if they had set out a car en route.  The answer was, "no."

After daylight, the car was found in the creek bed of Whitney Creek, far below and a considerable distance from the deck of the bridge.  The empty box car had blown out, guts, feathers and all, even taking it's trucks with it.  This is even more amazing when it is known that freight cars are NOT attached to the wheels they ride on.  They merely set upon the truck bolster, their own weight keeping them atop.

The solution was, the railroad installed an automated wheather vane at the area.  When handling certain types of cars, trains are required to contact the train dispatcher via radio to determine whether the wind is of sufficient velocity to hold train movements in abatement.

Instructions were included that, when running into the wind, if the wind is of succicient velocity to slow a train by 4 MPH, the engineer must reduce power by 1 throttle notch.  I dunno where that came from, but we usually didn't mind it much.  We found when running into the wind, if you INCREASE power a notch or two, the wind doesn't slow the train by 4 MPH !

As far as inclement weather goes, snow, sleet, rain, etc., unless dealing with a secondary problem caused by it, washouts, flooding, etc., the trains keep running.  As long as any standing water is not over 3 inches above the top of the rail, you can continue without damage to the locomotive traction motors.