Should we learn from countries like Italy who often put white paint on rails as white paint cools the rails?

FinsburyPark · 15 Aug 2026

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Should we learn from countries like Italy who often put white paint on rails as white paint (I suspect of a rail grade variety) works to cool the rails.

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Sorcerer · 15 Aug 2026

As a short to medium-term solution on vulnerable stretches of railway I'd say painting them white could be a very good option given how it's relatively easy to do.

Unfortunately knowing this country I suspect it would become a long-term strategy because it's cheaper upfront even when it might be more costly in the long run.

edwin_m · 15 Aug 2026

I've seen it in the UK too, though not so much recently.

coppercapped · 15 Aug 2026

Sorcerer said:
As a short to medium-term solution on vulnerable stretches of railway I'd say painting them white could be a very good option given how it's relatively easy to do.

Unfortunately knowing this country I suspect it would become a long-term strategy because it's cheaper upfront even when it might be more costly in the long run.

White paint doesn't cool the rails, it simply slows down the rate at which they warm up when the sun shines on them.

duffield · 15 Aug 2026

I've seen it at a number of locations in the UK.

NER1621 · 15 Aug 2026

We already do.

positron · 15 Aug 2026

We already do put white paint on rails, we probably should expand this practice if it actually does help. But the actual solution is just renew much of the railways to more modern higher standards. Perhaps even expand use of slab track where possible and necessary. Yes this will cost but the reality is that these summers are the new normal and we need to change our practices to match.

We potentially also need to more easily apply speed restrictions to specific track sections that are at risk. Hopefully monitoring tech on trains will make this better over time.

dcbwhaley · 15 Aug 2026

duffield said:
I've seen it at a number of locations in the UK.

The radio telescope at Jodrell Bank is now painted with titanium white pant. \It makes a very significant improvement in stability

Russel · 15 Aug 2026

This is the sort of thing that should have been discussed with NR many years ago, climate change isn't a new thing.

Burying heads in the sand achieves nothing.

Gloster · 15 Aug 2026

Russel said:
This is the sort of thing that should have been discussed with NR many years ago, climate change isn't a new thing.

Burying heads in the sand achieves nothing.

Yes, it does. It improves profits and bonuses.

GRALISTAIR · 15 Aug 2026

coppercapped said:
White paint doesn't cool the rails, it simply slows down the rate at which they warm up when the sun shines on them.

Thankyou. I was going to point that out myself. Its not being pedantic but factual.

al78 · 15 Aug 2026

Gloster said:
Yes, it does. It improves profits and bonuses.

Which means that the internalised financial costs for poorness should exceed the tangible benefits.

Trainguy34 · 15 Aug 2026

From what I've seen it's typically done around points or critical infrastructure.

al78 · 15 Aug 2026

positron said:
Yes this will cost but the reality is that these summers are the new normal and we need to change our practices to match.

Nah, just accept the delays and cancellations, tell the passengers to suck it up or drive. :lol:

Johnnie2Sheds · 16 Aug 2026

I'm not a metallurgist, so at the risk of being shot down, surely some clever person or persons could lower the expansion coefficient of a given rail steel recipe to lessen the effects of buckling? No idea how. I'm just talking out of my bottom me dears. Perhaps converting the RHTTs to spray white paint in summer and weedkiller in autumn would be more achievable. Instead of having them sat around for nine months of the year.

JamesT · 16 Aug 2026

Johnnie2Sheds said:
I'm not a metallurgist, so at the risk of being shot down, surely some clever person or persons could lower the expansion coefficient of a given rail steel recipe to lessen the effects of buckling? No idea how. I'm just talking out of my bottom me dears. Perhaps converting the RHTTs to spray white paint in summer and weedkiller in autumn would be more achievable. Instead of having them sat around for nine months of the year.

You do get other alloys with lower coefficients. For example Invar is a nickel iron alloy commonly used in aerospace due to that property. However it’s ten times the cost per kilo compared to normal steel.

brad465 · 16 Aug 2026

Passing through Exeter St Davids, several sets of points appear to have been freshly painted white.

Bald Rick · 16 Aug 2026

Russel said:
This is the sort of thing that should have been discussed with NR many years ago, climate change isn't a new thing.

Burying heads in the sand achieves nothing.

What makes you think it hasnt been discussed?

john77 · 16 Aug 2026

brad465 said:
Passing through Exeter St Davids, several sets of points appear to have been freshly painted white.

I was puzzled to see some pointwork painted white in the depths of Edinburgh Waverley recently, in a location where the sun can't shine.

Backroom_boy · 17 Aug 2026

john77 said:
I was puzzled to see some pointwork painted white in the depths of Edinburgh Waverley recently, in a location where the sun can't shine.

Might come prepainted?

Ash Bridge · 17 Aug 2026

brad465 said:
Passing through Exeter St Davids, several sets of points appear to have been freshly painted white.

I was just looking at some shots taken by myself back in 2016 at Exeter St Davids and various pointwork in the vicinity of Red Cow Crossing was so treated even back then, presume this was the same location that you mention?

MarkyT · 17 Aug 2026

Trainguy34 said:
From what I've seen it's typically done around points or critical infrastructure.

Points are particularly susceptible to loss of finely adjusted electrical detection when switch and stock rails move relative to each other due to heat expansion and contraction. Junctions incorporating switched diamond crossings are the most vulnerable to this and were among the first sites I saw treated with white rail paint in the early 2000s on the Southern Region.

Should we learn from countries like Italy who often put white paint on rails as white paint cools the rails?

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