How do trains clear now from the tracks?

Question

I wrote "now. I meant "snow".

Answer 1

If there's not much snow, or it's not heavy, they just plow through it.  If the snow is heavy, they put a plow in front of the locomotive.  If it's really deep, some have a big snow thrower that they push down the tracks to clear the snow.  Scroll through the link below to see one.

Answer 2

Unless it is really bad it is not a problem.

Most locomotives have a small plow on the front that clears most snow off.

Then there is track equipment that is the next step, those are surprisingly effective, htey have wings to push the snow off to the side and also flangers that get the build up from between the rails.

If it is quite bad like after a blizzard ther is the good old Jordan spreader or other very large wedge shaped plow devices taht are pushed in front of a locomotive, these can be truly awesome to watch.

I used to work on a railroad that had some old coal tenders, that were filled with gravel for weight and had a huge plow on the front, painted with graphite, you could trhow blocks of snow as big as a refrigerator over the right of way fence at 40 MPH with those.

Last is the rotary plow, these are massive rotary plows mounted on the front of their own specialty built body with a deisel locomotive engine to drive the wheel, and the thing is pushed along with a locomotive behind.

I have been stuck in drifts, they were as high as the cab windows, and by the time you realize you cant make it through, it is too late to back out, the snow falls in around the wheels and undercarriage and consolidates and you sit.

Answer 3

Leroy-

There are several methods the railroads use to clear snow.

The main method in which they do this is with a Snow Plow, almost like the ones your local highway department uses just on a larger scale.  They are equipped with hydraulic rams that push large blades to either side of the plow car or locomotive.  

But when the snow is too deep for that, they use a device called a steam cannon, which is nothing more than a large modified fire hose and nozzle that shoots super heated steam at the snow to melt it away from the rails.  This is normally used in conjunction with a snow plow.

However, when the snow is just too deep, and the freight needs to be moved, they whip out the big guns and use a Rotary Snow Plow.  This thing is the size of a locomotive with a large fan blade and steam jets.  This thing literally chews through the snow banks making a hole nearly twice its height and width.  

Here in California you can see them in several locations.  Two are kept in Dunsmuir, California, Two in Klammath Falls, Oregon, Two in Sacramento, and Two in Reno.

I don't know of any kept in other locations simply because I have not been there and seen them.  I am quite sure that Denver, and a few other mountain railroad passes have them stationed pretty close to their troublesome snow passes.

I have a picture of an older model one located in Durango, Colorado that is a steam powered one for the Narrow Gauge Railroad.  If you would give me your email address, I could send you a copy of that photo.

Basically this machine works just like the Snow Blowers you would use to clear your driveway in the winter, (if it snows in your area).

The snow is sucked in and blown out to one side or the other, and thrown quite some distance from the rails.  

Infact you can actually see one working on a National Geographic Video called "Love Those Trains".

Its pretty impressive.

I hope that answers your question!

Answer 4

Engines have plows mounted on the front.Snow on the tracks is no problem for us unless it's really deep.We don't even slow down,we just blast right on through.I have run through eight foot snow drifts without any problems.

Answer 5

Having worked over Donner Pass, the SP's ctossing of the high Sierras and spent many hours in snow service, I can say this:

Snow removal is usually done in a three pronged attack utilizing different types of snow removal equipment.  As each becomes ineffective, the next level of equipment is ordered into service.  This equipment not only required train and engine crews, but many maintenance of way employees were required as well aboard the various types of equipment.  The three primary pieces of snow removal equipment are the “flanger,” “spreader” and rotary snow plow.

First into service is the “flanger.”  This is a single piece of equipment with a narrow body and a high center of gravity, for underneath there are two blades that look identical to the plows seen on the front of highway snow removal equipment, only larger, with a hardened steel blade on the bottom.  There are two of them, one designed to throw out the snow to the left, the other to the right. These were controlled by the engineer when under way, with the train crew inside the flanger locking and unlocking the blades as instructed by the engineer.

     The way these work is simple.  When lowered, the blade at the bottom is actually below the top of the rail, blasting the ice and snow out from between the tracks.  The buildup of ice can derail a train.  So, these things are running all over the place.  But there is only so much they can do.  Eventually, they develop a “core” as the snow bank created by them begins to fill with snow.  At some point in time, the bank of the core builds high enough that it can catch “cutting levers” on freight cars and cause them to be uncoupled.

     When this happens, the call goes out for a “spreader.”  This equipment is equipped with “wings,” hydraulicly operated, that can be spread out as wide as 15 to 20 feet on either side, to push the snow over an embankment, or close-in to the hill side.  This eliminates the core and the banks the flangers create.  Once the spreaders have completed their task, the flangers then again hit the road.  But you only get a couple of bites of this apple as eventually, you run out of room to push this snow around or the snow is falling at such a rate that the flangers and spreaders can’t keep up.  Enter the rotary.

     Today many rotary plows are selfly contained and self propelled.  This was not so for the wide wings of SP’s Sacramento Division.  Originally they weren’t wide wings, but of a more conventional design.  Of course they were powered by steam running the blade, the cylinders for the wings and positioning of the deflector, as well as keeping the blades of the cutting head clear of any ice build up or packed snow.  

By the time I was working them, they had been converted in the way power was supplied to the blades.  Gone was the boiler and pistons that ran the old models.  In its place were four traction motors of the variety of those used on the old EMD “F” unit “covered wagons.”  And these were powered by the old F7B units they came off of, exactly the same as if they were axle hung, only running in line with a common drive connected directly to the rotating blades of the business end.  Everything else was still run by steam, which was provided by four steam generators of the type used on passenger trains of the past.  Catching a call for one off of the extra board, you could expect no relief for seven days, by collective bargaining agreement.  You could also expect pneumonia from all the changes between hot and humid and freezing cold and wet, as well

I don't miss it...

Answer 6

plows at the begining of the train

Answer 7

They have snow plows that they put up in front of the lead engine. Some look look a little like old cabooses.