As Kansas City prepares for winter weather, the KC Streetcar team is making preparations to keep service running and streetcar tracks and platforms clear.
The KC Streetcar will operate with regular hours of 5:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, unless conditions deteriorate and it is unsafe to operate. To stay updated on KC Streetcar service and hours, sign up for RideKC Notify Text Alerts by texting “streetcar’ to 816-685-8541.
In advance of ice or snow events, the KC Streetcar team installs heaters on all of the streetcar pantographs and an ice cutter on one streetcar pantograph in order to melt ice or snow accumulation on the overhead wires. The team pre-treats trackways and platforms with a calcium chloride and magnesium chloride blend.
During winter events, the team uses the track sweeper, or “Brushy McBrushface”, and a shop truck outfitted with a plow to clear accumulating snow from the trackways. This is repeated as necessary.
The streetcars are equipped with sanders that automatically engage when additional traction is needed on the tracks, which may occur during wet weather events. The track switches located at Union Station, 3rd and Grand and at the Singleton Yard are equipped with underground heaters to keep the mechanisms warm and pliable.
While officials don’t anticipate suspending streetcar service, officials said the system will operate with extreme caution during this weather event, reducing speeds when needed and slowing at intersections and crosswalks.
Heaters have been installed on streetcars, the KC Streetcar plow truck is outfitted, and Brushy is gassed up and ready for the snow.
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