Rail, especially continuous welded rail, will shrink with the cold temperatures. It is normally joined in warm weather. The shrinkage will reduce radii of curves and may produce strains that break rail joints. Normally, there are bulletins out for low temps and inspectors and trains will watch for breaks.
Track forces will be out looking for pull aparts and blind joints in cold weather conditions just like they do in summer with sun kinks. In signal territory, you get some warning of a pull-apart in the cold.
The biggest headache in cold weather remains trainline air followed by anything with a lubricated friction component seizing up...
Firesnake and Green Monster season approaches.
CN has put out a publication advising customers, investors and government people what their plan is for the 2019-2020 winter operations. It discusses the effect of temperature on rail, equipment and operations at various temperature ranges and advises of their operational procedures. Go to
https://www.cn.ca/en/your-industry/customer-reports/winter-plan/ and view or download plan for winter 2019-2020
PS: you will have to convert from centigrade to farenheit. Note: -29 C = -20 F,-40 C = -40 F.
They are calling for -20 this week in the midwest. We know about heat kinks but what about steel getting more brittle under cold temputures? I am worried about wheels and rails cracking and breaking under extreme cold.
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