I believe geography, climate, preparedness, and experience are all factors in addition to equpment and operations. Where there is very little snowfall a flake or two can send auto and rail traffic into all kinds of spins and standstills; where snow is a daily occurance from October to April, they know what to do in advance so that even several inches or more than a foot of snow will only slow things down and not bring all to a halt. Plows and pilot plows help keep lines open and not stop a train. Tracks that go untrfficed for long periods of time vs density of snowfall might stop but definitely slow a train or train service while a track that sees more frequent traffic vs density of snowfall will have fewer delays and stopages. Switches which are frozen or snowed in can prevent movement thus switch heaters and or trackmen with brooms and shovels are needed to keep things rolling. Lots of answers to your question but basically in boils down to where you're railroading and how prepared and knowledgeble you are.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
After getting at least 18 inches of snow in the snowstorm 2 weeks ago, while switching in the yard at the plant, 1-1/2 empty hoppers went on the ground due to deep snow.
kolechovskiAfter getting at least 18 inches of snow in the snowstorm 2 weeks ago, while switching in the yard at the plant, 1-1/2 empty hoppers went on the ground due to deep snow.
Exactly.
I just finished re-re-reading Robert D. Turner's "Steam on the Kettle Valley" today. Some great snowplow pictures in it! Of note was that they always had a section crew with them. If a wedge plow got stopped, it would back off and the crew would shovel snow in front of it to provide a 'cushion' for the next attempt. When a rotary got to a snowshed, or tunnel, the section hands would have to dig out the plug it left before it could pass through. Not much fun, up on the Coquihalla, or elsewhere, in those winters! We get "wind slabs", up here in Montana, due to the fierce winds. No fun, even for the recreational snow shoveler! No fun to ski on, either. "They'll bite you!".
Hays
Dateline: BNSF High Line, Shelberia, MT -- we got up to +64.2 degrees F. today! It is now +29, and falling! Snow predicted. Our DSs, in Ft. Worth, TX operate our switch heaters. If no train crew notifies them of the changes in the weather, they have to rely on the 'Defect Detectors' to tell them what is going on, temp-wise. True, the switch heaters are supposed to turn on, if enabled, by the presence of precipitation. If someone doesn't check them, the game is lost. That ain't nice.
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Wow ! Somebody just got a big trainset in their backyard - all the cars derailed ! At 4:45 AM = ''oh - dark - forty-five'', too ! The photo with the article reminds me of the ending of the Silver Streak movie somehow, too.
Fortunately, no serious injuries, and apparently no damage to the houses. Wonder if the cause was iced-in flangeways at a grade crossing, or a broken rail kind of thing ?
Thanks for calling this to our attention and posting the link, KC.
- Paul North.
Paul_D_North_JrThanks for calling this to our attention and posting the link, KC.
Johnny
Okay. Please forward your address. What's for dinner? I love Italian food! I used to shovel snow, as a kid, in New York. Made mega-$$$, in those days. Now I live in an apartment complex and and park my truck 'in back'. I try to keep a path clear to it, as I don't drive the Mustang GT in the snow, but, at age 71, I go at it slowly. I do have a clunky old snow blower, and that is fun. Getting snow cleared, out here in Montana, is a problem. No one wants to work, especially the kids! Will the day come when no one will work, all being on government entitlement programs? Scary, methinks!!! Anyhoo, snow shoveling, in moderation, is good exercise.
BNSFwatcher Okay. Please forward your address. What's for dinner? I love Italian food! . . . Anyhoo, snow shoveling, in moderation, is good exercise. Hays
Okay. Please forward your address. What's for dinner? I love Italian food! . . . Anyhoo, snow shoveling, in moderation, is good exercise.
Agreed - it can be a 'total-body, aerobic, and weight-training' exercise all together, with another good purpose or point to it ! I also think it ought to be an Olympic sport, rather than some of the others . . . Soon it's time for me to go and get my daily dose, too . . . [Why no 'emoticon' for that ?!? ]
- Paul.
Sawtooth500Speaking of that train getting stuck at 40 mph, I've noticed a lot of time with plow trains it's just a plow with 3 engines. My guess would be why not put it in front of a full freight? That would give it a lot lot more momentum to plow through the heavy drifts. I'm also guessing there is a reason why this isn't done, and that reason is?
For one thing, you normally can only plow for so long before you stop - sometimes very suddenly. It's easy enough to derail an engine or the plow, but coming to a dead stop with 50-100 freight cars behind you would cause quite a crash. Plus, even if you stop OK, you now have to back up 100 freight cars to take a run at the snow...pretty hard to push back 50-100 cars. Once you do, it will take a lot more track to get a full freight up to "ramming speed" than three engines and a plow would.
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