OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific blends a technique used in Europe with a U.S. highway practice to mitigate heat-related track conditions.
Union Pacific recently reported it is deploying a mix of European rail techniques with U.S. highway practices as a way to manage heat-related track conditions this summer with paint. The Class I said this is part of its “broader strategy” that it says allowed for its best-ever full-year derailment incident rate last year.
Chief safety officer Rod Doerr spoke about the strategy, saying UP used “took a page from road striping. . . Using a high-rail truck and paint sprayer, we apply white paint to both sides of the rail.” The color reflects the sun, lending to a lower overall surface temperature on the rail…