Winter Weather

As policy, the KC Streetcar will operate in most weather conditions and staff will take precautions in the event of impending weather.

 

In advance of ice or snow events, the KC Streetcar team will pre-treat trackways and platforms with a calcium chloride and magnesium chloride blend. Team members will also use the track sweeper, or “Brushy McBrushface”, to clear accumulating snow from the trackways.  This is repeated as necessary.

 

The streetcars are equipped with sanders that automatically engage when additional traction is needed on the tracks, which may occur during wet weather events. The track switches (located at Union Station, 3rd & Grand and at the Singleton Yard) are equipped with underground heaters to keep the mechanisms warm and pliable.

 

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, manages the removal (plowing) of snow and ice from roadways, including those on the streetcar route.  The KC Streetcar team is responsible for clearing all streetcar platforms, shelters and trackways of snow and ice.  Together, the City and the KC Streetcar work to maintain a clear path for the streetcar in order for service to stay on schedule.

 

For more information on how the City plows the streets, visit the Public Works Department website.  Motorists are asked to not park on emergency routes when it is snowing. To track the City’s snowplows, visit this interactive map.

 

Note: Ice can form on the OCS when the temperature is at or below 34 degrees. During ice storms, streetcars must run every 15-20 minutes in order to keep the OCS clear and operational.

 

At times, the KC Streetcar will perform “sweeper runs” during non-service hours in order to keep the track and OCS clear of snow and ice. This occurs typically during non-service hours and the sweeper streetcars will not pick  up passengers during this time.

 

Snow and ice do have the potential to cause delays or even service disruptions for the KC Streetcar.  For service updates, check the KC Streetcar website (www.kcstreetcar.org) and the social sites of Twitter (www.twitter.com/kcstreetcar) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/kcstreetcar).   You can also sign up to receive text alerts by texting “kcstreetcar” to 797979. Updates will also be posted at the arrival signs at each streetcar stop.

 

For further questions about streetcar service, riders can contact the RideKC Regional Call Center, 816-221-0660, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.