Extreme Heat Wave Forces Suspension of Scenic Adirondack Rail Line

It is one of the most beautiful rail lines in a country – the United States – which has many. The Adirondack winds its way through the forests, lakes and mountains of the American Northeast to connect New York to Montreal. Only one train leaves every day in one direction and the other. Journey time: eleven hours.

But this summer, travelers will not be able to take advantage of it. Due to the heat wave that has been raging for several weeks in North America, the service is suspended for the entire season. So decided, at the end of June, Amtrak, the American public company that operates the trains. Three short months after the end of another suspension of the line – for three years this time – caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is a route that has had logistical problems in the past, but to my knowledge this is the first time such an extreme measure has been taken,” observes Paul Chinowsky, founder of Resilient Analytics, a specialist company. in the study of the impact of climate change on infrastructures.

four hours late

At the heart of this decision, a recent Canadian regulation which imposes speed limits and additional inspections on railway companies in the event of high temperatures. Thus, trains are asked to reduce their speed to 16 km/h according to the thermometer to prevent any risk of derailment.

READ ALSOFires in Quebec: in immersion with French firefighters “The railway is one of the most vulnerable transport networks in the face of heat. When it is very hot, the passage of heavy objects at high speed can lead to deformation of the rails and put passengers in enormous danger. When the heat is prolonged, the tracks do not cool during the night, which increases the risk. Slowing down trains is therefore the first line of defense against this phenomenon,” explains Paul Chinowsky.

But for Amtrak, it’s a mismanagement. The public company has calculated that these heat restrictions could lead to delays of “four hours”, even to the immobilization of the trains “halfway through”, explained its spokesman, Jason Abrams, in a press release sent At Point. A situation which would also lead staff to exceed the regulatory limit of their working time.

billions of dollars

Amtrak says Canadian restrictions are to be lifted in mid-September and service could resume earlier if the temperature drops. It will also work with Canadian National (CN), the track manager, and New York State on a “long-term solution” to avoid future stoppages. CN did not respond to our request for comment.

“The problem is that there are no uniform international regulations to determine what constitutes excessive temperature or even suitable speed. Each railway company has its own idea of ​​what constitutes the notion of safety”, analyzes Paul Chinowsky.

READ ALSOIs the train cheaper in France than in our European neighbours? According to the expert, solutions exist to enable the rail network to adapt to a warming world. They range from the installation of heat detectors along the tracks to limit slowdowns to only problematic sections to the planting of trees to create shade and cool the rails.

But in the end, these will have to be replaced by equipment more resistant to periods of prolonged extreme heat. “It will be very expensive, billions of dollars, warns Paul Chinowsky. The question is: who will pay? »

« Unacceptable »

In the case of the Adirondack, politics did not sit still. While Amtrak and Canadian National blame each other for the suspension, elected officials and tourism professionals on both sides of the border do not hide their anger. Used by 117,490 people in 2019, the line is a source of significant economic benefits for the region, particularly rural upstate New York, where it makes stops.

READ ALSOSilk Roads: By Train from Xi’an to DunhuangRepublican state deputy Elise Stefanik said the measure was ” unacceptable”. And to put pressure on the Canadian railway authorities so that they establish a “plan to reopen the line immediately”. At the cost of passenger safety? Without network modernization?

“Those who say that the trains must be put back into circulation immediately do not understand the extent of the problem. Only the image preoccupies them”, breathes Paul Chinowsky. While waiting for the recovery, travelers will have to fall back on the car, the coach or… the plane. Something to warm the planet a little more.

2023-07-19 12:00:00
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