Engineering employees, including Signal and Track, are in the midst of an important ongoing project.

An Ekoslide

Employees are installing Ekoslides, a component that has wheels that roll on a track; they help switches operate more efficiently and replace an older technology. 

They will help reduce some delays related to certain scenarios where switches are inoperable.

The most recent installation happened at the 80th Street crossing. The installation required a day, and 12 Engineering employees performed the job successfully. 

While the installations are not being performed specifically for winter and are regarded as an all-season upgrade, it’s expected that switches with Ekoslides will function more easily in potentially harsh winter conditions, including extreme cold.