It is one of the most beautiful rail lines in a country – the United States – which has many. The Adirondack winds its way through the forests, lakes and mountains of the American Northeast to connect New York to Montreal. Only one train leaves every day in one direction and the other. Journey time: eleven hours.
But this summer, travelers will not be able to take advantage of it. Due to the heat wave that has been raging for several weeks in North America, the service is suspended for the entire season. So decided, at the end of June, Amtrak, the American public company that operates the trains. Three short months after the end of another suspension of the line – for three years this time – caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is a route that has had logistical problems in the past, but to my knowledge this is the first time such an extreme measure has been taken,” observes Paul Chinowsky, founder of Resilient Analytics, a company specializing in studying the impact of climate change on infrastructure.
At the heart of this decision, a recent Canadian regulation which imposes speed limits and additional inspections on railway companies in the event of high temperatures. Thus, trains are asked to reduce their speed to 16 km/h according to the thermometer to prevent any risk of derailment.
But for Amtrak, it’s a mismanagement. The public company has calculated that these heat restrictions could lead to delays of “four hours”, even to the immobilization of the trains “halfway through”, explained its spokesperson, Jason Abrams, in a press release sent to the Point. A situation that would also lead staff to exceed the regulatory limit of their working time.
Amtrak says Canadian restrictions are to be lifted in mid-September and service could resume sooner if the temperature drops. It will also work with Canadian National (CN), the track manager, and New York State on a “long-term solution” to avoid future stoppages. CN did not respond to our request for comment.
“The problem is that there are no uniform international regulations to determine what constitutes excessive temperature or even suitable speed. Each railway company has its own idea of ??what constitutes the notion of safety”, analyzes Paul Chinowsky.
But in the end, these will have to be replaced by equipment more resistant to periods of prolonged extreme heat. “It will be very expensive, billions of dollars, warns Paul Chinowsky. The question is: who will pay? »
In the case of the Adirondack, politics did not sit still. While Amtrak and Canadian National blame each other for the suspension, elected officials and tourism professionals on both sides of the border do not hide their anger. Used by 117,490 people in 2019, the line is a source of significant economic benefits for the region, particularly rural upstate New York, where it makes stops.
“Those who say we have to get the trains running again right away don’t understand the extent of the problem. Only the image preoccupies them,” whispers Paul Chinowsky. While waiting for the recovery, travelers will have to fall back on the car, the coach or… the plane. Something to warm the planet a little more.
