Network Rail are set to carry out experiments this autumn to trial new ways of braking designed to reduce delays for passengers caused by ‘leaves on the line’. The pioneering testing will take place during October 2019, causing part-closure of the Cross City line.
Train performance can be affected during autumn as compressed leaves on the tracks cause a ‘Teflon-like’ substance which causes train wheels to slip and skid. This means trains often travel more slowly in certain areas to stop this happening, causing disruption to the timetable.
The braking experiments will see targeted jets of sand sprayed directly in front of individual train wheels before they pass over rails which have been made artificially slippery, as if leaves had fallen on them. This a development of a similar method which already exists but these trials aim to target specific wheels when they start to slip, applying sand as and when it’s needed, to see if it reduces the need to brake or decrease a train’s speed.