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Heat waves affect our daily lives, and while we often discuss their impact on human health, they also have equally serious consequences for transport. It’s not just the cold and frost that cause problems, from railways to roads to public transport. Extreme heat knows no compromises and tests the limits of both infrastructure and human resilience.

High temperatures are responsible for thousands of deaths each year, with over 47,000 deaths in Europe two years ago. In 2022, which was also one of the hottest summers on record, the number of deaths was even 60,000. This year, the European cities most affected by heat-related deaths were Milan, Paris, Barcelona and London. The European Union is also aware of the issue, having enacted a goal in the European Green Deal. The vision is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

While death statistics show the direct impact of heat on people, there is another level of how high temperatures disrupt the systems we depend on every day. Transportation is a major part of society, and when it slows down or stops, the consequences are felt immediately. Heat can damage tracks, melt asphalt, paralyze public transportation, and reduce driver safety. These less visible, but all the more fundamental, consequences of heat are also worth paying attention to.

When the heat stops the trains: How heat affects transportation

Every passenger traveling by public transport has experienced complications with the air conditioning in the summer, when it was not functional or sufficient. However, as the communications department of the Slovak Railway Company (ZSSK) pointed out, the air conditioning system in their vehicles is set according to valid legislation and takes into account the recommendations of the Public Health Office of the Slovak Republic, according to which the difference between the outside and inside temperature should not exceed seven degrees Celsius.

“At an outside temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, the air conditioning should not cool the interior to less than 28 degrees Celsius to avoid temperature shock. At ZSSK, we adhere to standards, but the perceived temperature is an individual matter, so passengers may feel heat or cold subjectively,” the communications department told PulseZ. ZSSK currently has 100 percent of daily long-distance trains and approximately 80 percent of regional trains equipped with air conditioning.

High temperatures also have a direct impact on rails, which expand when heated and in extreme cases can even cause them to buckle. Every year, railway infrastructure managers deal with several such cases. “If the temperature of the rails exceeds 50 degrees Celsius, the risk of their buckle increases significantly. This is a condition when the rail overcomes the resistance of its placement in the gravel bed, which can cause dangerous deformations of the track,” explained Petra Lániková, spokeswoman for the Slovak Railways (ŽSR).

As the railways further explained, sleeper anchors, supports against rail wandering, and proper ballasting are used to stabilize the track. Painting with white paint, which reduces the surface temperature, also helps. “In times of extreme temperatures, preventive control activities are tightened. So-called temperature walks or control runs are carried out, especially when high air or rail temperatures are expected above 40 degrees Celsius,” the spokeswoman added.

This year, several cases of derailment have been recorded. In such cases, according to the railways, measures must be taken, such as excluding tracks or reducing line speed. “After repairing a derailment, the repaired section must be monitored for at least the entire following day during high temperatures,” the railways added, adding that during hot weather the maximum speed allowed on the section is 50 kilometers per hour.

Repair of derailed tracks after the heat wave. Source: ŽSR

Road transport also has its limits. Black asphalt pavements absorb a lot of sunlight and can soften and expand in extreme temperatures, leading to rutting or cracking of the surface. According to research , asphalt surfaces can reach temperatures of up to 61 degrees Celsius in the summer. Deformations not only shorten the life of the pavement, but also pose a safety risk to drivers.

Experts are therefore trying to figure out how to protect asphalt from overheating. One option is special coatings that reflect part of the sun’s radiation and thus reduce the surface temperature of the roads. However, the problem is that they have a short lifespan and after a few years the surface wears out and the efficiency drops significantly. Another experiment is porous asphalt supplemented with materials that can retain rainwater. During the heat, this gradually evaporates and thus naturally cools the road. However, the problem here is that the road can be damaged and clogged.

However, heat does not only affect machines and materials, but also people. Drivers are more likely to lose attention in high temperatures and the risk of accidents increases. Just getting behind the wheel, especially if the air conditioning is not working well enough, can result in exhaustion, dehydration, which can contribute to increased levels of stress and irritability behind the wheel.

The heatwave shows us that the future of transport will not only be about speed and comfort, but also about resilience. High temperatures are not just a short-term problem, but we will have to get used to them and adapt. Experts are already fighting and trying to mitigate the effects of the heat, whether with special coatings or surface innovations. It is the combination of technological innovations, timely maintenance and a change in approach from short-term to long-term adaptation to a changing climate that may be key.

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