PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – So you take commuter rail into work and you find the ride is a little slower than usual these days? Blame the change of seasons.

Slippery rails aren’t just a winter phenomenon. Once the leaves start to fall, crews have to get out to clear them and more.

“They blast the leaves off of the tracks using high pressure cleaning equipment and they also use a solution to clean the oily deposits these leaves leave behind,” says SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch.

But until those crews get to your line, “When we have slippery rail conditions, unfortunately we have to slow the speed of the trains to make sure the travel is safe and that results in usually what are minor delays.”

It’s also a problem on trolley routes in town. Bottom line: you might see a slight delay now and then. This might not be much comfort if you’re in a hurry, but it is really all about making sure those rails are safe to ride.

Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060