"Col" wrote in message
...
I see we have this problem again, and the heat hasn't even peaked yet!
I don't intend this post to be a whinge against our railways, so I
will ask
this question, what happens to the rails in other countries that have
routinely far higher summer temps that we do, the US for example?

Col
--
Bolton, Lancashire.
160m asl.
http://www.reddwarfer.btinternet.co.uk


These temperatures have occurred before without the need for blanket
speed restrictions. It's a consequence of the railway being run by
people who are incompetent.

Alan

Do the French/German/Spanish railways suffer the same problem ?
Are they limited to 60mph during warm/hot spells ? Is it not the
case that those who run the railways 'face the stock market'
and not the customer who actually pays the bill ?
cheers, JRM
On 05 Aug 2003 00:24:24 GMT, (TudorHgh) wrote:

These temperatures have occurred before without the need for blanket
speed restrictions. It's a consequence of the railway being run by
people who are incompetent.


It's a consequence of being in a country where there is hysteria about
railway safety, which is quite unrelated to the actual relative risks of rail
and road travel. Comparing journeys of equal length, rail at least 10 times
safer than road. Network Rail are reacting to the hysteria, only partly
media-generated, by covering their arses. Even so, a derailment at 60 mph on
buckled track would leave quite a mess. It would seem to be a case of "being
seen to be doing something". That is the price you pay.
Continous welded rail is laid so as to be in neither tension or
compression at 24°C. The lengths are about half a mile and the track is not
meant to move. Someone suggested leaving larger gaps. The length variation
for a 40°C temperature change is about 13 inches, which would derail a pony and
trap let alone a train travelling at 130 mph. There are serious problems with
the old 60-ft lengths when used by high-speed trains. The ends tend to move up
and down and there is a risk of breakage which would be disastrous for a
high-speed train. Also the riding on jointed track would be quite
uncomfortable.
In some other countries track realignment takes place between summer and
winter, but they probably take their railways a bit more seriously than we do.
In yet others it's probably accepted as a natural weather hazard, like fog at
an airport.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

In article ,
JRM - Alresford Hants writes:
Do the French/German/Spanish railways suffer the same problem ? Are
they limited to 60mph during warm/hot spells ? Is it not the case
that those who run the railways 'face the stock market' and not the
customer who actually pays the bill ?

Apparently the French are having similar problems.
--
John Hall
"Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people
from coughing."
Sir Ralph Richardson (1902-83)

In message
John Hall wrote:

In article ,
JRM - Alresford Hants writes:
Do the French/German/Spanish railways suffer the same problem ? Are
they limited to 60mph during warm/hot spells ? Is it not the case
that those who run the railways 'face the stock market' and not the
customer who actually pays the bill ?

Apparently the French are having similar problems.

Really? Then why did I see a picture of a TGV apparently able to travel at
full speed on last night's BBC news?


I feel proud of the TGV, since I work for the company that built it (but it
was nothing to do with me, honest).

Martin

--
Created on the Iyonix PC - the new RISC OS computer.