The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced Wednesday it had approved a contract that would allow Metro-North Railroad to outfit a train to use lasers as a way to combat fallen leaves on railroad tracks.
The system would minimize the number of cars taken out of service during the fall season and would allow for increased speeds for train cars, and result in fewer delays during fall.
“The MTA can’t keep the leaves on the trees, but it can fight their effects on Metro North’s infrastructure and cut back on delays for our customers,” Metro-North Railroad President and Long Island Rail Road Interim President Catherine Rinaldi said. “The LIRR led the way in using this technology and has seen an incredible decrease in delays and equipment issues brought on by slip slide using this system prompting Metro-North’s successful pilot last fall. It’s a game changer.”
Leaves on the track create a slick substance, called pectin, that gets even more slippery after a light rain. When trains attempt to speed up or slow down, the pectin causes train wheels to slip or slide along the rails. In severe cases it can cause trains to make emergency stops when on-board computer systems sense the train is “slip-sliding” or not slowing down as it should. Slip-sliding and emergency braking causes flat spots on the trains’ wheels, which increases maintenance needs on the trains.
The contract will allow Metro-North to partner with Laser Precision Solutions out of Amsterdam to install a laser on a train that will remove the contaminated layer of leaves from the track. The addition of the second train will allow the vital parts of the tracks to be cleaned every 24 hours. The contract is valued at $3.2 million for two years, with a one-year option.