Monday’s preview of summer has led to a slowdown on two MARC train lines for the afternoon.
MARC said on Monday that CSX has issued heat-related speed restrictions on the Camden and Brunswick lines for Monday afternoon’s runs.
Heat orders for MARC Brunswick and Camden Lines — CSX has issued heat-related speed restrictions on the Camden and Brunswick Lines for this afternoon. Trains will travel at reduced speed on both lines. 5-15 minute delays are poss… https://t.co/vfDNlXGeu7
— MTA Maryland (@mtamaryland) May 20, 2019
The slower speeds mean that trains will run between 5 and 15 minutes late, depending on how many stops they make. The fewer stops a train makes, the more of a delay it will experience, as the trains with more stops spend less time at top speed anyway.
Heat orders happen when the temperature is consistently 85 degrees or higher, or when the temperatures swing 25 degrees in either direction in a 24-hour period. It means that the maximum speed is reduced by 20 mph, down to a minimum of 40 mph.
MARC also said the criteria are more strictly implemented when track work has recently been done, saying that new track is more prone to sunkink (see the photo above).
Inspectors will also be out checking the tracks, MARC said, so one or two tracks may be out of service at certain points.
