Pottstown >> Crews from Phillies Fire Company and Norfolk Southern were dousing a stretch of railroad tracks Tuesday afternoon with water as smoke was raising from the railroad ties.
The cause was rail grinding, a maintenance process used on the rails.
“They do this every winter,” said Phillies Chief Joe Groff.
Groff explained that the grinding creates small, hot pieces of metal to fly from the rails. When those pieces find the wood railroad ties, it causes them to flare up.
“It’s just smoke. I’ve never seen flames,” Groff said. “If it found enough air I guess it could, though.”
Smoke could be seen on spots along the railroad tracks, from South Hanover Street in Pottstown and along the tracks to Manatawny Creek. Smoke was reported in West Pottsgrove along the tracks as well.
Norfolk Southern sent a road-rail vehicle that traveled up the tracks, spraying water as it went.
