Autumn Leaves Cause Train Delays

Everyone who depends on commuter trains knows this situation: It's autumn, it's raining and the train is late or even cancelled. Most of the time the excuse is: "There are leaves on the rails".

Of course the same problem also exists here in Stockholm. The pendeltåg was often late during the last days and amongst other things leaves on the rails where the problem. There was an article about the delays in commuter traffic in Wednesday's Metro:

According to the article the problem occurs when a huge mass of wet leaves heaps up near and on the rails. The rails get very slippery and the wheels of the train begin to skid on the leaves. When the wheels gets back onto clean rails after that, they keep skidding on the steel rail. One can easily imagine what happens. Anyway, the wheels have to be repaired. And that's why there are so many late trains.

For some reason Banverket (who is responsible for the rails) doesn't clean the rails (it is not clearly stated why). So one has to live with late trains in autumn.