Fallen leaves on railways

The wind carries fallen leaves onto the tracks. As they pile up, they form an oil-like layer that makes the track slippery. To prevent problems caused by slippery tracks, means such as sand, friction gel and a grinding machine are used on the tracks.

In collaboration with railway operators, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s maintenance has identified the most challenging spots, the ones where trains tend to get “stuck on a hill” because of the fallen leaves. Weather forecasts can also be used to identify the times when problems start to arise.

The aim is always to solve problems proactively. In practice, in the Helsinki region commuter area, for example, rail grinding work is carried out at night. This removes leaves from the tracks and enhances friction.