KEY FACTS
- Railroads are hardening infrastructure to withstand increasing climate threats.
- Real-time monitoring and rapid response keep trains running during extreme weather.
- Railroads aid disaster recovery, delivering supplies and restoring service fast.
🎧 Listen to this page narrated by a real person • 4 min 20 sec • Find the full transcript at the bottom of this page.
Freight railroads operate a nearly 140,000-mile network 24 hours a day across every region of the country. From hurricanes and floods to wildfires, extreme heat, and winter storms, severe weather is an ongoing part of railroad operations. As climate-related weather events become more frequent and intense, railroads are strengthening their networks with more resilient infrastructure and continuing to monitor their networks year-round to protect employees, customers, and the nation’s supply chain.
Preparing for Extreme Weather
Railroads prepare for severe weather long before it arrives. They identify vulnerable locations, strengthen infrastructure, improve drainage, elevate track in flood-prone areas, implement fire prevention programs, and install systems that detect flooding, high winds, earthquakes, and other hazards.
As storms approach, operations centers monitor conditions around the clock. Railroads may reroute trains, move locomotives and railcars away from danger, position repair crews and materials, and coordinate with emergency management agencies. Customers receive regular updates throughout the event.
After conditions improve, inspection teams assess the network using ground crews, drones, helicopters, and, when needed, bridge divers. Repair crews clear debris, replace damaged track and signals, restore communications, and reopen the network in phases until normal operations resume. Railroads also support disaster recovery by delivering food, water, fuel, lumber, and other emergency supplies while helping communities recover after major storms.
Managing High Temperatures
As temperatures rise, steel rails naturally expand, increasing the risk of track buckling, or “sun kinks.” Railroads reduce that risk through a combination of engineering, inspection, and operational practices. One engineering example is continuous welded rail, which creates longer, stronger sections of track. During installation, railroads carefully set the rail at its “rail neutral temperature”—the temperature at which it is under neither tension nor compression—to help keep the track stable as temperatures change.
Railroads continue to improve heat resilience through research, including MxV Rail’s development of predictive tools that help identify where heat-related track movement is most likely to occur. Thanks in part to these technologies and freight rail’s annual $25 billion in private network investments, Class I mainline track-buckling accidents declined by 52% between 2010 and 2021.
Responding to Storms
Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and winter storms each create different challenges. Floodwaters can undermine track and bridges. Strong winds can damage signals and overhead structures. Snow and ice can block switches and make inspections more difficult.
Railroads prepare by monitoring forecasts continuously, staging crews and equipment, relocating locomotives and railcars when necessary, and working with agencies including FEMA, FRA, and state emergency officials. During floods, loaded railcars may be positioned on bridges to help stabilize structures against fast-moving water. In winter, switch heaters, snowplows, spreaders, and rotary plows keep critical routes open.
After a storm, engineers and maintenance crews inspect bridges, track, signals, and communications systems before trains return to normal service. Advanced technologies such as drones and ground-penetrating radar help crews evaluate damaged areas safely and speed recovery.
Read the AAR Audio Narration
Freight Rail Climate Resiliency & Disaster Recovery
This is AAR Audio, and you’re listening to Freight Rail Climate Resiliency and Disaster Recovery.
Freight rail operates in every season.
Every day of the year.
Across nearly 140,000 miles of track.
That means trains don’t just travel through cities and farmland.
They also cross mountains, deserts, floodplains, and coastlines.
As weather becomes more frequent and more extreme, railroads are making their networks stronger and more resilient.
The goal is simple.
Keep employees safe.
Protect the infrastructure.
And keep America’s supply chains moving.
Preparation starts long before a storm arrives.
At operation centers, railroads keep an eye on weather around the clock.
Sensors placed throughout the network also monitor changing conditions in real time.
They can detect earthquakes.
High winds.
Flooding.
And other hazards that could affect train operations.
When conditions change, railroads begin preparing immediately.
They may reroute trains.
Move locomotives and railcars out of high-risk areas.
Position maintenance crews closer to where they may be needed.
They’ll also stockpile fuel, ballast, generators, replacement track, and other repair materials before a storm arrives.
Customers also receive regular updates so they can plan for potential service disruptions.
Railroads are also strengthening the network itself.
They’ve modernized older bridges and structures.
Mapped areas vulnerable to flooding and raised tracks.
Improved drainage systems.
They continually clear out vegetation to reduce wildfire danger.
In some areas, railroads even use specialized fire trains to help protect the network during wildfire season.
One challenge that’s becoming more common is extreme heat.
Steel expands as temperatures rise.
If the rail gets hot enough, it can begin to bend or buckle, which is often called a sun kink.
Railroads have managed this challenge for decades.
Today, they weld rails together into long, continuous sections that are stronger and more stable than older jointed track.
They carefully manage the temperature at which those rails are installed.
They monitor rail temperatures throughout the year.
And when conditions become extreme, they issue heat orders that temporarily slow trains to reduce stress on the track.
New predictive technologies are also helping railroads identify where heat-related problems are most likely to occur before they happen.
Floods, hurricanes, winter storms, and wildfires each bring different challenges.
During major storms, railroads work closely with emergency management agencies and local officials.
As soon as it’s safe, engineers and maintenance crews begin inspecting the network.
Some damage can be seen from the ground.
Other areas are inspected using drones, helicopters, and specialized equipment.
Crews clear debris.
Repair bridges.
Replace track.
Restore signals.
And coordinate with utilities to restore power and communications.
In some cases, service returns at reduced speeds while repairs continue.
The priority is always safety.
Then restoring the network as quickly as possible.
Freight rail also plays an important role after disasters.
As communities begin to recover, trains help deliver the supplies they need.
Food.
Water.
Fuel.
Lumber.
Construction materials.
And other essential goods.
Railroads also help remove debris and work alongside emergency responders and relief organizations during recovery efforts.
Extreme weather is changing.
So is the freight rail network.
Railroads continue investing in stronger infrastructure.
Smarter technology.
And better emergency planning.
Together, those investments help protect employees, strengthen supply chains, and keep goods moving even when conditions are at their toughest.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Freight rail is building a more resilient network to withstand extreme weather and climate risks, using stronger infrastructure, real-time monitoring, and rapid response strategies to keep goods moving. By preparing for disruptions and quickly restoring service, railroads help protect supply chains, support communities, and ensure reliable transportation even during natural disasters.