William Browder

1
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Railway Perspective

• William Browder
• Director of Operations,
• Association of American Railroads

2
OVERVIEW
Weather Information Needs / Requirements Results

• PRECIPITATION
• TEMPERATURES
• VISIBILITY
• WINDS

3
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Precipitation

• Frozen Precipitation - General
• Condition Action Lead-time
• Frozen Precipitation Maintain safe Operator's
  transportation. Discretion
• Freezing Rain/Icing Clear tracks and 2-hrs
  power rails/wires.
• Inclement weather Rail schedules 1-2
  hrs leading to early altered. Add release
  of commuters passenger cars.
• Snowfall/Drifting snow Mobilize staff. 24 hrs
  (optimum) Icing/Freezing Rain Stage
  equipment. 8-hrs (minimum)
• Accumulation and lead-time affect the decision
  process

4
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Precipitation

• Frozen Precipitation - Specific
• Condition (Preparation) Action Lead-time
• Snowfall 0-2" Mobilize staff. Stage 24-hrs
  equipment. 8-hrs min.
• Snowfall 2-6" Initiate appropriate
  action 12-hrs plan.
• Snowfall 6-8" Initiate appropriate
  action 12-hrs plan.
• Snowfall gt 8" Initiate appropriate
  action 12-hrs plan.
• Accumulation and lead-time affect the decision
  process

5
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Precipitation

• Frozen Precipitation - Specific
• Condition (Execution) Action Lead-time
• Snowfall 0-2" Mobilize staff. Stage 24-hrs
  equipment. Maintain Ops. 8-hrs min.
• Snowfall 2-6" Maintain Ops. Rail Real-time.
  restrictions optional.
• Snowfall 6-8" Maintain Ops. Service Real-time.
  delayed or altered.
• Snowfall gt 8" Reduced operations.
  Real-time. Suspend operations.
• Accumulation and lead-time affect the decision
  process

6
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Precipitation

• Liquid Precipitation - General
• Condition Action Lead-time
• Heavy precipitation Speed reductions.
  Operator's Discretion
• Heavy precipitation Maintenance checks
  for Operator's roadbed washout. Discretion
• Flooding Protect trains. Warn
  Minimal engineers. Adjust schedules,
  re-route traffic, or cancel routes as
  necessary.

7
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Precipitation

• Liquid Precipitation - Specific
• Condition Action Lead-time
• Flooding Alter or delay rail schedule, 1-hr
  as necessary. Check pumps in flood
  prone areas.
• Flooding Inspect bridges, trestles,
  1-hr tunnels, and other structures for
  operational integrity.

8
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Thunderstorms / Lightning

• General
• Condition Action Lead-time
• Severe Thunderstorm Delay routes, adjust
  Operator's schedules as necessary. Discretio
  n
• Lightning Cease refueling operations. Operator's
  Cease switching operations. Discretion Curt
  ail rail car inspections.

9
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Temperatures

• Air Temperature
• Condition Action Lead-time
• lt 32 deg F Monitor personnel and
  6-12hrs equipment stress, crew comfort
  and safety.
• gt 85 deg F Catenary problems Operators
  in older railway Discretion installations-
  -reduce speed.
• gt 85 deg F Monitor personnel and
  6-12hrs equipment stress, crew comfort
  and safety.
• gt 90 deg F Track inspections. Slow
  or Real-time suspend operations.

10
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Temperatures

• Railway Temperature
• Condition Action Lead-time
• lt 32 deg F Track inspections.
  Slow Real-time or suspend operations.
• 32 - 85 deg F No maintenance action. N/A
• gt 85 deg F Monitor personnel and
  Real-time equipment.
• gt 90 deg F Track Inspections. Slow
  or Real-time suspend operations.
• Extreme temperature gradients over time is
  critical to rail expansion and contraction.

11
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Visibility

• Type of obscuration to vision (fog, smoke, haze,
  glare) is not important.
• Condition Action Lead-time
• lt3 mile Rail speed reductions. Operator's (d
  epends on speed and Discretion length of
  train).

12
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Winds

• General
• Condition Action Lead-time
• Blown debris Clear routes. Delay
  Operator's operations. Discretion
• 60-65 mph, crosswinds Rail service delays,
  as Operator's necessary. Suspend Discretion
  operations, as necessary.
• Sustained strong wind is more of a factor than
  gusts.