Key Takeaway: Current research shows climate change is not only heating up the planet but also increasing the severity of winter storms. Through year-round planning, advanced technologies, strategic resource allocation, specialized equipment and coordination in critical areas like Chicago, freight railroads are building a more resilient network to ensure safe operations no matter the weather-related challenge.
Operating around the clock across nearly 140,000 miles of track, the infrastructure and equipment of freight rail function as an outdoor production line, resilient against various winter weather challenges. From the formidable blizzards of Chicago’s “Snowmageddon” to the dense, concrete-like snow of the Sierra Nevada, freight rail navigates through diverse conditions. Railroads employ continuous efforts throughout the year to address snow drifts covering tracks, moisture freezing in airbrake hoses, and the impact of frigid temperatures on steel rails. By integrating advanced technologies such as start-stop systems for locomotive engines and relying on well-established employee protocols, railroads ensure the safety of their workforce, infrastructure, and equipment in the face of freezing temperatures.
Railroads invest heavily in their network, preparing for winter by spending a significant portion of the well above $23 billion yearly on restoring, upgrading, and acquiring new winter equipment and technology. For example, in avalanche-prone areas, some railroads deploy pneumatic cannons to prevent snow buildup, while others use snow sheds to allow descending snow to pass over tracks without disrupting service.
Ongoing Inspections: As part of ongoing tack and equipment inspections, railroads use advanced technologies, including smart sensors alongside tracks that help identify potential track and equipment defects before problems arise.
Advanced Planning: All Class I railroads have winter plans. Many also have a private weather forecasting service that can issue warnings earlier than the National Weather Service, allowing railroads to make informed operational decisions ahead of a storm.
Staged Resources: By late fall, railroads have snow-fighting resources such as plows and heavy-duty blowers in place. Planning teams frequently meet to adjust resource locations and ensure other equipment such as locomotives and vehicles are ready for changing weather patterns.
At centralized command centers, key personnel monitors the rail network and weather forecasts in real time. Using up-to-date information, they rework train schedules, deploy and manage crews, reroute trains and/or modify operations as needed.
Rapid Deployment Teams & Rerouting Trains: Railroads deploy trained rapid-response teams, including signal and track repair crews, to address snow removal and equipment issues swiftly, minimizing service interruptions. With specialized equipment and expertise, these teams handle weather-related challenges to maintain safe operations. Railroads also mitigate customer impact by shifting shipments to unaffected lines or utilizing pre-arranged re-routing agreements. They keep customers informed about any service changes during weather events.
Specialized Equipment: When there is too much snow for a locomotive’s snow plow to handle, railroads use custom on-track machinery. Massive bulldozers move tons of snow at once, while “Jordan Spreader” cars use V-shaped fronts and arms that extend out 20 feet to move tons of snow from the tracks. During the heaviest snowfalls, railroads deploy rotary snow plows with large spinning blades that dig into snow and throw it off the tracks. Railroads also use specialized heaters that prevent switches from freezing so trains can move from one track to another.
High-tech Locomotives: Locomotives contain air dryers that keep mainline train brake systems from freezing and heated headlights that melt snow and ice. They also have Automatic Start Stop systems and auxiliary power units that keep the engine systems warm when powered down. Railroads may place an additional locomotive in the middle or the end of a train to help maintain air pressure for brakes.
BNSF employees clear tracks of heavy snow.
Winter weather can be especially challenging in Chicago, where 500 freight and 760 passenger trains pass each day. In 1999, the region experienced the second worst blizzard of the 20th century. Up to 22 inches of snow and subfreezing temperatures impacted rail operations for months.
In response to this devastating weather, the rail industry established the Chicago Transportation Coordination Office (CTCO) to keep trains safely and efficiently moving through the region. To help meet this goal, the CTCO created the Chicago Integrated Rail Operations Center (CIROC), a high-tech, 24/7 command center where railroads continually watch real-time information of all rail operations in the region, which is fed in from sensors placed across the network.
Together, commuter, passenger and freight railroads review plans, implement changes, reroute traffic as needed, and ensure resources and procedures are in place based on each division’s unique conditions and challenges.