On the northern plains we can sometimes get a foot of snow at a time. (Not unlike Texas ). Our city plows the emergency snow routes continuously. This can put a 2' to 4' windrow of snow and/or ice over the rails at a railroad crossing. How much is too much snow and ice for a train to break through?
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Unless it's frozen solid, shouldn't be a problem.
If the flangeways get filled up and frozen, then you worry.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Agree - If you plan correctly, then no problem. But Ma N. has ideas of her own - ice is usually the bigger threat and what condition are the locomotives in, esp the traction motors? (too many cut out and bad things happen)....
Seen any light engine plow extras yet? (threshold of people getting concerned)
Regards - Steve
Switch heaters do not melt ice in frog flangeways and in crossing flangeways. Considerable care and effort is required to keep those clear. If you look back in the forums, you will see numerous cases of derailments due to ice packed into flangeways causing wheel lift derailments.
In fairness, there are occasions where too much snow is the issue, the one coming immediately to mind being comparatively recent: the City of San Francisco in 1952. (This was my introduction to 'microweather' in the old Time-Life book series I loved growing up... bet Erik remembers this too)
As I recall this was the incident that led SP to build plow trains with a rotary on each end, so the plow train itself wouldn't be stranded if snowfall, drifting or slides might otherwise build up too much.
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