The Secret Weapon Against Train Delays: NJ TRANSIT Deploys High-Powered ‘AquaTrack’ to Clean Bergen County Rails
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — As the stunning autumn colors peak across New Jersey, they bring a hidden hazard to commuter rail lines like the Main/Bergen County Line: “slippery rail.”
To combat the notorious fall slowdowns and keep trains running on schedule, NJ TRANSIT has officially rolled out its two high-tech cleaning units known as AquaTrack. This seasonal deployment is a crucial effort to eliminate the single biggest cause of traction problems in the Northeast during the fall months.
What is Slippery Rail?
“Slippery rail” is an age-old challenge for railroads in any area with heavy deciduous tree coverage. When fallen leaves are crushed by passing train wheels, they decay and create an oily, Teflon-like residue that coats the rails. This residue severely reduces traction, forcing trains to decrease speeds and, in turn, creating delays across the entire system.
Introducing the AquaTrack: A Power-Washing Beast
Since 2003, NJ TRANSIT has relied on its specialized AquaTrack system to tackle this issue. It’s essentially a massive, high-pressure power washing system on wheels designed for one purpose: blasting away the leaf residue.
- Technology: Each AquaTrack unit consists of two 250-horsepower diesel-engine units mounted on a flat car.
- Power: Two pressure-pump units dispense water up to an astonishing 20,000 pounds-per-square-inch (PSI) directly onto the top of the rail.
- Efficiency: The system uses 17 gallons of water per minute to scrub the tracks clean.
The addition of a second unit in 2016 allowed NJ TRANSIT to significantly expand its coverage area, providing relief across more commuter lines.
Where and When AquaTrack is Working
While the original AquaTrack primarily focuses on the challenging, hilly terrain of the M&E and Montclair-Boonton lines (often twice daily on weekdays), the expanded fleet ensures coverage on other critical lines:
- Weekends: The Pascack Valley and Main/Bergen County Lines—serving residents in the Ridgewood area—are typically covered on weekends.
Beyond the Blast: Other Mitigation Efforts
The AquaTrack is just one part of NJ TRANSIT’s comprehensive strategy to ensure a reliable fall commute:
- Sand Spraying: All NJ TRANSIT trains are equipped with mechanisms to spray sand directly onto the rails in front of the wheels, instantly increasing traction during slick conditions.
- Vegetation Management: The agency proactively trims trees along the right-of-way to reduce the number of leaves falling onto the tracks in the first place.
NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s largest statewide public transportation system, providing over 925,000 weekday trips. Ensuring the safety and punctuality of those 12 commuter rail lines, including those serving Bergen County, is paramount as we move deeper into the leaf season.
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