Railroad crews in Chicago using fire to keep trains moving
The deep freeze sweeping across the Midwest has railroad crews in Chicago using fire to keep switch points, where trains switch tracks, from becoming packed with snow and ice.
Videos posted on social media show small flames licking the tracks as trains go by.
A spokesperson for Metra, the city's commuter railroad system, told NBC News that the flames come out of switch heaters installed near the tracks and they are turned on during winter months when low temperatures and ice become a hazard for rail service.
If the switch points on the tracks become packed with snow or ice it could lead to train delays, according to a blog post on Metra’s site.
The heaters have been activated mostly at the A2 interlock, which is the busiest rail interlocking in Chicago. The spokesperson said the flames are safe and don’t cause damage to the passing trains.