Metrolink to Grind 300 Miles of Tracks
Metrolink will use the equivalent of a giant knife sharpener to grind more than 300 miles of railroad tracks over 10 days.
The grinding is done annually to ensure the metal rails remain strong and in proper shape, Metrolink spokeswoman Claudia Keith said.
The sharpening device is an 800-foot-long, multi-car train with 96 spinning stones that grind the track surface, a noisy process that can produce showers of sparks. To guard against fires, water is dropped in front and behind the special train, which travels no faster than 8 mph, Keith said.
Most of the work on the Ventura County line--from Oxnard to Moorpark--will be done in the evenings, beginning at 9 p.m. Dec. 16.
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