We wanted the summer heat, and we got it, maybe a bit too much. Trains all over the Netherlands are being delayed and cancelled because of the heat. 🥵
Yes, it’s that time of the year again. Park picnics, shorts and dresses, and complaining about the heat that we’ve spent the past year begging for. Oh, and trains not working properly.
For something that happens every year, you’d think the Netherlands would have figured out public transport in the summer.
And yet, bridges can’t close, tracks expand, and passengers are suffering in trains with no air conditioning.
Because train tracks are made from steel, they expand in the heat. When they do, they can start to warp and become misaligned or push the tracks next to them. So trains can’t run because, essentially, everything is a bit wonky. Doesn’t sound very ideal, does it?
Working in this heat? Bridges say nee dankjewel
You know those bridges that go up and down so that boats can pass? Well, it seems like they’ve been taking days off in the heat because there have been multiple reports of them breaking down and not closing.
READ MORE | How to beat the Dutch heat: 11 tips to keep your cool
Because the bridge over the Merwede Canal couldn’t close due to the heat, trains near Rotterdam and Utrecht didn’t start running again until late last night.
But this is nothing compared to Haarlem. Here, the bridge over the Spaarne also couldn’t close, so there were no trains running between Zandvoort and Haarlem. So much for a fun beach day!
Overheating trains and struggling passengers
The bridges weren’t the only problem. One train was so hot that a passenger passed out, the NOS reports. Other reports included people talking about smashing the windows to get some fresh air in.
Although, let’s be honest: that might not be the best idea when the train starts to run at 140 kilometres per hour.
READ MORE | Beat the heat: how to stay cool during a Dutch heatwave
Other than that, there are just the classic complaints: delays, cancellations, and no air conditioning. Just because this country is usually cold and rainy doesn’t mean we should forget that it gets hot in the summer.
Unfortunately I don’t have an option to turn it on from here. Neither does the conductor at the train, maybe you could ask him if a reset of the system is possible. You could also try to change the a different wagon, the temperature might differ between them. ^CD
— NS online (@NS_online) August 4, 2018
After countless complaints online, the NS responded, saying that it didn’t get many reports about broken air conditioning. “If an air conditioner does not work on the train, that train will be taken out of service, and that did not happen today,” a spokesperson told the NOS.
Hmm… given that the NOS did receive reports about no air conditioning, this NS response feels a bit like (failed) crisis management. 👀
Anyway, does anyone know about the train to Leiden? We have to get to work. 🫠
Have you experienced train problems in the heat? Tell us in the comments!