FROM: GO Transit
TO: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
Friday, July 6, 2012 12:42:59 PM
With temperatures expected to soar to 36 degrees celsius today we'd like to remind you that this afternoon's ride home will likely be longer than usual. Whenever the mercury soars and temperatures exceed the 30 degree mark such as today, it is possible for steel rails to expand and even buckle. As a safety measure, GO Transit along with CN, CP Rail and our other railway partners will apply speed restrictions in certain areas along your rail corridor all of which translates into a longer commute than usual. We thank you for your patience with us through the entire week and hope you have a wonderful weekend.
HULK RIDE GO @HULKGORIDER
WHAT MEAN HOT RAIL MAKE TRAIN SLOW? TRAIN NO RUN ON STRIPPER POLE! ME SO CONFUSED. ME ALWAYS SAID RUN GO AS SUBMARINE. ALWAYS COLD! NO TRACK
Sure, blame Mother Nature. The GO propaganda writers must be running low on excus.. uh, reasons.
ReplyDeleteI seriously believe that GO is paying their propaganda department overtime to come up with these ridiculous emails. If they sent one out yesterday, why would they send out another one today when EVERYONE has been saying that today will be the hottest day of the week.
ReplyDeleteSun kinks and rail buckling is actually a very real concern on very hot days on railways all across North America. #fact
ReplyDeleteI'm not denying rails buckle in heat and I'm all for precaution.
ReplyDeleteHulkGORider was just offering up some alternatives for GO to avoid the sun all together.
Personally, a submarine from Oshawa to Toronto Harbour would be awesome.
Or a high-speed ferry.
I've seen it in action. Back in the 80's I was on a tie and ballast gang out in Alberta. We'd kick out a mile of track - half the ties, and smooth out the ballast so the rail was sitting on a smooth bed, then we'd put in new ties and straighten the trak and dump new ballast. By noon on a day lke today a track that started as arrow straight would be kinked like a Bay Street lawyer's soul. I was once standing on the track when a rolling kink started up - and the track shifted three meters to the side in a few seconds. Now, that was in 35 + degree temps and the track was unachored, but it COULD happen here...
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a legitimate problem, but I've been commuting on GO for 18 years and that's the first time I've heard them announce it!
ReplyDeleteSpeed restrictions regarding sun kinks happen every summer and train crews would get general bulletin orders about certain locations (mileages) where sun kinks are more prone to happen or an entire speed restriction is put down on the entire line. These restrictions only apply in daylight, come night fall they're lifted and trains can run at full tilt. It's not an excuse it's an operating fact and lets face it if a GO train encounters a sun kink at a very high speed, guess what will happen ?
ReplyDeleteI must say I agree with cncndr! I know a bit about trains from my friend who's really into trains and yeah let's just say that would not be at all a good thing.
ReplyDeleteAnyway... yeah GO Submarine! That'd be awesome. :P