William Browder Director of Operations, Association of American Railroads William Browder Director...

William BrowderDirector of Operations,

Association of American Railroads

WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS


Railway Perspective Railway Perspective

• PRECIPITATION

• TEMPERATURES

• VISIBILITY

• WINDS

• PRECIPITATION

• TEMPERATURES

• VISIBILITY

• WINDS

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

Weather Information Needs / Requirements Results Weather Information Needs / Requirements Results

• Frozen Precipitation - General

Condition Action* Lead-time– Frozen Precipitation Maintain safe Operator's

transportation. Discretion

– Freezing Rain/Icing Clear tracks and 2-hrs power rails/wires.

– Inclement weather Rail schedules 1-2 hrs leading to early altered. Add release of commuters passenger cars.

– Snowfall/Drifting snowMobilize staff. 24 hrs (optimum) Icing/Freezing Rain Stage equipment. 8-hrs (minimum)

*Accumulation and lead-time affect the decision process

• Frozen Precipitation - General

Condition Action* Lead-time– Frozen Precipitation Maintain safe Operator's

transportation. Discretion

– Freezing Rain/Icing Clear tracks and 2-hrs power rails/wires.

– Inclement weather Rail schedules 1-2 hrs leading to early altered. Add release of commuters passenger cars.

– Snowfall/Drifting snowMobilize staff. 24 hrs (optimum) Icing/Freezing Rain Stage equipment. 8-hrs (minimum)




Precipitation Precipitation

• Frozen Precipitation - Specific

Condition (Preparation) Action* Lead-time– Snowfall 0-2" Mobilize staff. Stage 24-hrs

equipment. 8-hrs min.

– Snowfall 2-6" Initiate appropriate action 12-hrsplan.


– Snowfall > 8" Initiate appropriate action 12-hrsplan.



Condition (Preparation) Action* Lead-time– Snowfall 0-2" Mobilize staff. Stage 24-hrs

equipment. 8-hrs min.



– Snowfall > 8" Initiate appropriate action 12-hrsplan.






Condition (Execution) Action* Lead-time– Snowfall 0-2" Mobilize staff. Stage 24-hrs

equipment. Maintain Ops. 8-hrs min.

– Snowfall 2-6" Maintain Ops. Rail Real-time.restrictions optional.

– Snowfall 6-8" Maintain Ops. Service Real-time. delayed or altered.

– Snowfall > 8" Reduced operations. Real-time.Suspend operations.



Condition (Execution) Action* Lead-time– Snowfall 0-2" Mobilize staff. Stage 24-hrs

equipment. Maintain Ops. 8-hrs min.

– Snowfall 2-6" Maintain Ops. Rail Real-time.restrictions optional.

– Snowfall 6-8" Maintain Ops. Service Real-time. delayed or altered.

– Snowfall > 8" Reduced operations. Real-time.Suspend operations.





• Liquid Precipitation - General

Condition Action Lead-time

– Heavy precipitation Speed reductions. Operator'sDiscretion

– Heavy precipitation Maintenance checks for Operator'sroadbed washout. Discretion

– Flooding Protect trains. Warn Minimalengineers. Adjust schedules, re-routetraffic, or cancel routes;as necessary.

• Liquid Precipitation - General


– Heavy precipitation Speed reductions. Operator'sDiscretion

– Heavy precipitation Maintenance checks for Operator'sroadbed washout. Discretion

– Flooding Protect trains. Warn Minimalengineers. Adjust schedules, re-routetraffic, or cancel routes;as necessary.




• Liquid Precipitation - Specific


– Flooding Alter or delay rail schedule, 1-hr as necessary. Check pumps

in flood prone areas.

– Flooding Inspect bridges, trestles, 1-hrtunnels, and other structures

for operational integrity.

• Liquid Precipitation - Specific


– Flooding Alter or delay rail schedule, 1-hr as necessary. Check pumps

in flood prone areas.

– Flooding Inspect bridges, trestles, 1-hrtunnels, and other structures

for operational integrity.




• General


– Severe Thunderstorm Delay routes, adjust Operator's schedules; as necessary.

Discretion

– Lightning Cease refueling operations. Operator's Cease switching operations.

Discretion Curtail rail car inspections.

• General


– Severe Thunderstorm Delay routes, adjust Operator's schedules; as necessary.

Discretion

– Lightning Cease refueling operations. Operator's Cease switching operations.

Discretion Curtail rail car inspections.



Thunderstorms / Lightning Thunderstorms / Lightning

• Air Temperature

Condition Action Lead-time< 32 deg F Monitor personnel and 6-12hrs

equipment stress, crewcomfort and safety.

> 85 deg F Catenary problems Operator’s in older railwayDiscretion installations--reduce

speed.

> 85 deg F Monitor personnel and 6-12hrsequipment stress, crewcomfort and safety.

> 90 deg F Track inspections. Slow or Real-time suspend operations.

• Air Temperature

Condition Action Lead-time< 32 deg F Monitor personnel and 6-12hrs

equipment stress, crewcomfort and safety.

> 85 deg F Catenary problems Operator’s in older railwayDiscretion installations--reduce

speed.

> 85 deg F Monitor personnel and 6-12hrsequipment stress, crewcomfort and safety.

> 90 deg F Track inspections. Slow or Real-time suspend operations.



TemperaturesTemperatures

• Railway Temperature


< 32 deg F Track inspections. Slow Real-timeor suspend operations.

32 - 85 deg F No maintenance action. N/A

> 85 deg F Monitor personnel and Real-timeequipment.

> 90 deg F Track Inspections. Slow or Real-timesuspend operations.

– Extreme temperature gradients over time is critical to rail expansion and contraction.

• Railway Temperature


< 32 deg F Track inspections. Slow Real-timeor suspend operations.

32 - 85 deg F No maintenance action. N/A

> 85 deg F Monitor personnel and Real-timeequipment.

> 90 deg F Track Inspections. Slow or Real-timesuspend operations.

– Extreme temperature gradients over time is critical to rail expansion and contraction.



TemperaturesTemperatures

• Type of obscuration to vision (fog, smoke, haze, glare) is not important.


<3 mile Rail speed reductions. Operator's(depends on speed and

Discretion length of train).

• Type of obscuration to vision (fog, smoke, haze, glare) is not important.


<3 mile Rail speed reductions. Operator's(depends on speed and

Discretion length of train).



VisibilityVisibility

• General


Blown debris Clear routes. Delay Operator'soperations. Discretion

60-65 mph, crosswinds Rail service delays, as Operator's necessary. Suspend Discretion operations, as necessary.

– Sustained strong wind is more of a factor than gusts.

• General


Blown debris Clear routes. Delay Operator'soperations. Discretion

60-65 mph, crosswinds Rail service delays, as Operator's necessary. Suspend Discretion operations, as necessary.

– Sustained strong wind is more of a factor than gusts.



WindsWinds

William Browder Director of Operations, Association of American Railroads William Browder Director...

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