NJ Transit 'AquaTrack' keeps tracks clear of fall debris
They each carry 20,000 gallons of water, sprayed at 20,000 PSI.
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Slippery leaves are a hazard for cars on the road and New Jersey Transit trains on the tracks.
NJ Transit has two “AquaTrack” machines, called “a pressure washer on steroids," to help keep the tracks clear.
They each carry 20,000 gallons of water, sprayed at 20,000 PSI.
NJ Transit trains deploy sand to help with grip, but the Aquatrack removes the slippery oil as leaves decay.
These machines run all over NJ Transit’s territory twice a day, including priority areas like the hills by Summit and Glen Ridge stations.
The season also requires the engineers to operate more cautiously.
“Now he's braking, and once it hits the leaves on the slippery rail, the brakes kind of lock up, and a train slides like it's on ice,” said Patrick Leake from NJ Transit rail operations. “And truthfully, there's nothing you can do except come off and try and take another bite, because once it slides, it slides.”
AquaTrack rolls on to prevent those types of situations. It’s a three-person crew on a 10-and-a-half hour shift, every day from October thru December.
“It's a long day,” Leake said. “It's kind of tedious, and the train has to deal with its own wheel slipping just trying to correct the issues, right? And I'm proud of them.”
