Safety of Station Platforms is Metro North Priority during Jan. 24 Storm

In the region served by Metro-North, where the storm is predicted to be more severe than elsewhere in the MTA region, MTA officials’ primary concern is the safety of station platforms.

All stations will be pretreated with salt, officials said. Metro-North will continue to clear snow and ice throughout the weekend.

Trains will be protected by pretreating with deicer all door tracks and third rail contact shoes. To prevent ice build-up on the pantographs on top of New Haven Line trains, they will be raised and lowered throughout the storm. All couplers between cars will be covered with snow bags to prevent icing.

At Pelham, where New Haven Line trains change from overhead power to third rail power, mechanics will be stationed beginning at 5 a.m. to assist any train that experiences changeover issues.

Extra train crews and protect engines will be stationed at major junctions to assist in case any train breaks down. And extra signal maintainers, power and track department personnel will be station at critical interlockings.