Skate Day was May 21. 

The Belt’s C3RS peer review team (PRT) enhanced skates on 17 tracks in the west classification yard and four tracks on humps’ cutoff, two skates per track.

Skates go under the wheel of cars and help prevent collisions, control coupling speeds and secure rolling stock during switching and maintenance. But they can be easy to forget under a car, which can lead to derailments. 

The team, which started work at 6 a.m. and completed at 2 p.m., painted the skates bright yellow and added reflective stickers to each.

“It was a corrective action that came out of a case we worked,” Manager of Rules and Compliance Clint Jonas said.

The skates were removed from the tracks, taken to Building 392 where they were enhanced and then returned to the tracks. 

“It’s important that we not only find problems but fix them” he said.