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Every fall, SEPTA has a problem with leaves. Leaves that fall on railroad tracks… well, let’s just let this SEPTA sign from last year explain (Click here to view):
Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, with cool temperatures and colorful leaves. Autumn, however presents a challenge for SEPTA rail systems. When falling leaves land on the railroad tracks and are pressed by passing trains, an oily residue is created that reduces traction between the steel wheels of the train and the rail. This causes “slippery rail” conditions that can result in delays because trains must operate at reduced speeds. Which gives us an excuse to be late.
I’m fairly sure that last part was added on the sign by an irate SEPTA customer. (Though, who knows.) As any regular SEPTA regional rail rider knows, leaves seem to fall on the tracks more often than one expects; after all, no SEPTA lines run through the forest. And so it’s just another SEPTA frustration.
Perhaps knowing this, SEPTA has designed a machine that will clean the rails for them. A very good idea, of course. Here’s how it works:
According to spokesman Felipe Suarez, SEPTA has designed a machine to eliminate the leaf problem and has built three of them.
“Since we’ve used these high-pressure washers, we’ve been able to cut down the number of delays on average by 1,000 trains.”
How do they work?
“They move at about 15 miles an hour over the track, and blast water onto the tracks at 10,000 pounds per square inch.”
Right. We’re all thinking the same thing: When are these going to break down and cause delays of their own? You just know it’s going to happen.
After the jump, a contest.
Since it’s pretty much 100 percent likely that these leaf scrubbers will break down one night — they run six nights a week on the regional rails, the El and the Norristown High-Speed Line — we have to have a contest about it.
Here’s how it works: Email septacontest@gmail.com with the following information:
- Date the SEPTA rail washers will break down and cause a delay
- Tiebreaker: What line it will happen on (Remember, there’s no R4!)
That’s it! And you could win… hell, something. Haven’t decided yet. But we’ll come up with something, and you email in those answers.
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As someone who lives next to a regional rail station and doesn’t drive, I’m often riding the big silver chariot around town and teh six oh one. I’ve never had as many slippery rail incidents in the past as I’ve experienced this year, and it’s still early days.
The r7 (which is the line on which my beau lives and he doesn’t drive either) is especially horrible. Yesterday on the r3 (the line I *grew up* on for christmas’ sake!) we slid past past both secane and lansdowne! though who can blame septa for wanting to skip landsdowne.
Anyway, I wonder what the new cars are going to be like–and if when they do get introduced will septa still need the pressure cleaners.. and if not what the fuck did they just waste money on…
I’m really not a trainspotter honest