As you're looking out your train or trolley window admiring autumn's vivid leaf colors, SEPTA personnel are also closely watching Mother Nature's handiwork. While we appreciate the beauty of the season - we are more concerned about the effect of falling leaves on track conditions. Every year - SEPTA posts information at Norristown High Speed Line, Trolley, and Regional Rail stations about "Slippery Rail" to remind customers about this annual occurrence and the measures we take to combat it.
Slippery rail is a condition that occurs when falling leaves - crushed by passing rail vehicles, deposit a residue on the tracks. This coating decreases the friction of a train's wheels - creating slippery rails. When this happens - travel speeds are reduced to maintain safe operations - especially on inclines and declines and when vehicles approach station platform areas.
“Getting our riders to their destination without delays or inconvenience is important - but the safety of our customers and employees always takes precedence,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards.
SEPTA takes a proactive approach to battling slippery rails - deploying personnel during overnight hours. Crews will begin cleaning the tracks next week - and they will continue working Sunday through Friday nights until early December.
A combination of water and gel is used to remove oily deposits from the tracks - and crews use high-pressure washing equipment to blast away leaves and their residue. In addition - sand is spread on the tracks to help increase traction.
The length of slippery rail season depends on fall weather conditions and the quirks of Mother Nature. Typically - slippery rail season runs from late October through mid-December but until the weather turns frosty and all the leaves have fallen - SEPTA maintains a consistent program of cleaning and removal.
Getting you to your destination without delays or inconvenience is very important, but ensuring that your trip is safe, always takes precedence. So please allow some extra time to complete your trip and be alert if slippery rail causes trains to slide past selected stations.
For real-time service updates, please visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA on X, or download the official SEPTA app.