Nearly all of the services on the National Rail network have reduced their service or posted “do not travel” warnings. Transport for London, which runs the London underground and overground services, has also advised people not to travel. The service disruptions were due to the unprecedented heat wave sweeping across the UK and Europe, where the mercury peaked at 40°C in some towns and cities, breaking several records.
Yes, extreme heat does not always disrupt rail transportation as trains run through some of the hottest and inhospitable parts of the world, such as the Mojave and Sahara deserts.
These trains are able to cope with the extreme heat because it is not so much the temperature itself that causes issues but the difference between the actual temperature and the temperature the system was designed to handle.
Railways tracks and roads in the UK were not designed to handle such high temperatures, which they have been experiencing over the last week. Many European countries have opted to build infrastructure which can withstand extremely cold temperatures as this would more likely occur in that region. Now they have to deal with both hot and cold extremes, a genuine problem that won’t be easy, quick, or cheap to solve.
Vice reported that among the biggest concerns during extreme heat is buckling when the track is literally bent out of shape. Most train tracks these days are made up of long strips of steel called continuous welded rail (CWR).
These strips, which are welded together when installed, can often be miles long. CWR is popular because it is cheaper to maintain and provides a smoother, quieter ride than the traditional steel strips that gave trains the clickety-clack noise. But an unfortunate unintended consequence is the long steel rails can make buckling more extreme.
Steel expands and contracts as the temperature changes. The longer the steel rail, the greater the force of that expansion and contraction. The railway sleepers are wooden boards laid across and underneath the tracks.
Source: BBC
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