Editing Third rail (section)

=== Weather effects ===
Third-rail systems using top contact are prone to accumulations of snow, or ice formed from refrozen snow, and this can interrupt operations. Some systems operate dedicated de-icing trains to deposit an oily fluid or antifreeze (such as [[propylene glycol]]) on the conductor rail to prevent the frozen build-up. The third rail can also be heated to alleviate the problem of ice.

Unlike overhead line equipment, third-rail systems are not susceptible to strong winds or [[freezing rain]], which can bring down overhead wires and hence disable all trains. [[Thunderstorms]] can also disable the power with [[lightning]] strikes on systems with [[overhead wires]], disabling trains if there is a [[Voltage spike|power surge]] or a break in the wires.