Train kept a rollin’

Winter storms are adding extra stress to a supply chain that’s already operating under severe capacity constraints. But players in one corner of the industry seem unfazed by the threat. Rail industry groups say they have the snow situation under control, thanks to a combination of mobile technology, precision forecasting, and heavy machinery.

The U.S. freight rail sector’s infrastructure and equipment are essentially an outdoor production line, spanning 140,000 miles of track and thousands of trains, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) says. But in this case, the production line is exposed to the elements, making it uniquely vulnerable to weather-related disruptions. For example, snow drifts can cover tracks, moisture can freeze in airbrake hoses, and frigid temperatures can affect steel rails.

Railways handle those challenges by preparing for winter before the first flakes ever fly, AAR says. Those steps include:

• The use of pneumatic cannons that prevent avalanches by stopping snow from accumulating on nearby slopes, as well as the use of “snow sheds” that shelter tracks from falling snow.
• Staging snow-fighting resources starting in late fall, storing plows and heavy duty blowers in strategic spots.
• Employing private weather forecasting services that can issue warnings even earlier than the National Weather Service can, allowing them to plan for snow while storms are still far off.
• Sending out “rapid deployment teams” of specialists like signal and track repair crews and mechanical engineers who can resolve equipment issues.
• Deploying specialized equipment when there is too much snow for a locomotive’s snowplow to handle. That equipment includes massive bulldozers, “Jordan Spreader” cars with V-shaped fronts and 20-foot arms, and rotary snow plows with large spinning blades.
• Rerouting trains, shifting shipments onto unaffected lines, or moving traffic onto another company’s line to reduce customer impact.