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Passenger Trains > Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the cold"Date: 01/30/19 11:23 Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the cold" Author: Lurch_in_ABQ https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/weather/ct-met-chicago-train-tracks-fire-20190130-story.html
"...To repair the breaks, Metra heats the rail, usually with a rope soaked in kerosene that is laid along the base of the rail and lit on fire, Thomas-Reile said. The fire heats up the rail and once it expands, workers pull the rails back together and rebolt them or weld them..." Date: 01/30/19 12:05 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: stevelv That story has gone viral as the say with most of your average Americans who saw the headlines thinking that they "light the tracks on fire" to keep the trains moving when its cold in Chicago. However the Tribune (and CNN of all places) explains why this is done in their articles.
Date: 01/30/19 12:08 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: TCnR C'mon guys, the equipment that does this has been around for at least 30 or 40 years.
Date: 01/30/19 12:09 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: sixaxlecentury Actually a rather well done article.
Date: 01/30/19 12:14 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: TCnR sixaxlecentury Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Actually a rather well done article. Actually it's better description than some of the comments on TO. "If you see fire along Metra tracks on this frigid Wednesday, don't panic. The Chicago area’s commuter rail service is fighting the cold with fire to keep switches working, and help with track repairs." https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/weather/ct-met-chicago-train-tracks-fire-20190130-story.html Date: 01/30/19 15:10 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: BaltoJoey The Virtual Railfan camera at Deshler captured a
CSX maintenance crew doing that exact same thing at the diamond. They were replacing broken bolts. Date: 01/30/19 15:15 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: Lackawanna484 Two south Florida TV stations used the "set the tracks on fire" voice over.
Can't make this stuff up... Posted from Android Date: 01/30/19 16:19 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: inCHI The iconic image for this is always the switch heaters at Western Ave. Does anyone know if those are on for any temp. below 32 degrees, or is the threshold lower?
Date: 01/30/19 16:43 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: PHall TCnR Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > C'mon guys, the equipment that does this has been > around for at least 30 or 40 years. Been around for a lot longer then that. More like 70 or 80 years. Maybe even before that. Date: 01/30/19 18:05 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: mp51w PHall Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > TCnR Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > C'mon guys, the equipment that does this has > been > > around for at least 30 or 40 years. > > Been around for a lot longer then that. More like > 70 or 80 years. Maybe even before that. That's what I was thinking! Date: 01/31/19 07:24 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: mp208 Remember the "smudge pots" that are placed under the switch points.
Posted from Android Date: 01/31/19 11:36 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: BoilingMan It’s so rare railfans can revel in their informed superiority over the masses. Hey, get while the gettin’s good!
SR Date: 01/31/19 12:59 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: metra6924 inCHI Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > The iconic image for this is always the switch > heaters at Western Ave. Does anyone know if those > are on for any temp. below 32 degrees, or is the > threshold lower? It depends on current and forecasted weather conditions. Date: 01/31/19 14:48 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: BRAtkinson One can depend on NBC to really screw things up! In the linked video, they claim it's necessary to heat up the tracks to rejoin them together after they've split. That's correct but has nothing to do with the switch heaters at A3 shown in the video. Oh yea...you'll have to wait a bit for the notoriously slow MSN.com video to start playing...
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/weather/topstories/rail-lines-in-chicago-set-on-fire-to-keep-trains-moving-during-deep-freeze/vi-BBSYtu8 Date: 01/31/19 15:44 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: justalurker66 BoilingMan Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > It’s so rare railfans can revel in their informed superiority over the masses. The hard part is finding people who believe you over the evening news. Not worth the hassle. Date: 01/31/19 17:53 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: GoodTimeCharlie re: Remember the "smudge pots"
Yes indeed - years ago on my commute from the western suburbs into Philly you would see clusters of little flaming pots scattered throughout Zoo Jct. Was quite a sight in the dark of winter. There is actually a pile of these laying in Powelton Yard along the inbound tracks before the curve into 30st St Upper Level platforms (SEPTA platforms). Date: 01/31/19 19:33 Re: Tribune:"fire is used to keep Chicago trains running in the c Author: inCHI I took some video of it today that I'll post in the next couple of days.
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