Northern Trains has successfully implemented a new GPS tracking system to identify and combat leaf fall hotspots, making autumn travel safer and more reliable. Fallen leaves can pose a major challenge for rail operators as they stick to wet rails and form a slick, slippery layer when crushed by passing trains, reducing adhesion and potentially causing delays.
To mitigate these autumnal dangers, Northern has equipped its CAF fleet with state-of-the-art technology that monitors train movements and pinpoints areas where drivers may encounter difficult conditions.
This system tracks all small slips or slides and maps them out for further analysis and transmission to drivers and Network Rail for track cleaning.
“Slippery rails are a major problem for the rail industry and we are taking proactive steps to address this issue,” said Rob Cummings, Northern’s seasonal performance manager. “This is just one of the many innovative strategies Northern is employing to combat fall conditions and ensure our customers reach their destinations on time, even in difficult weather conditions.”
Northern is also testing “rail head treatment” technology, which is applied to the chassis of passenger trains and could save the rail industry millions of pounds a year.
Water-Trak can be incorporated into existing passenger services, meaning it can be used to clean a wider range of pipes.
Five Water-Trak equipped Northern trains currently operate with Water-Trak on routes between Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester and between Leeds, Harrogate and York. The trials are being carried out thanks to funding from Network Rail’s Performance Innovation Fund.
Cummings told Water-Trak at the time: “We are pleased to partner with Water-Trak to provide better, more reliable service during difficult fall conditions. This is the next phase of this trial, which we hope will bring us closer to our goal.”
Photo credit: Northern
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