Post #2739328

2026-01-06 14:13 UTC

@Aurora_Bee@deadinsi.de I do find it odd that rail networks continue to rely on propane or methane powered blowers to do their winter switch clearing. Wouldn't an electric heat strip applied directly to the rail (specifically part of the web) be more efficient? Direct contact with the surface and simply a small increase in temperature compared to ambient is enough to create conditions for direct sublimation of any snow that lands on the rail head. For an example, look at cars that are covered in snow on a bright sunny day, the greenhouse effect causes the car to increase in temperature (though not above freezing) and it causes the snow on the car to sublimate away at a much greater speed than the surrounding.] An always on strip would also better prevent the accumulation of snow since all parts of the mechanism would be heated, there wouldn't be any dead zones or debris likely to prevent sufficient air flow. Strange...

Replies (2)

@Aurora_Bee@deadinsi.de 2026-01-06 14:46

@evdelen@mstdn.ca afaik that's also what ProRail is trying to do, replace gas powered heaters with electric ones to save on emissions and costs, but these are also not as good at thawing snow from the surface of rails. But yeah they're apparently decent at preventing icing, but they are also saving money there, by not turning those they do have on early enough to prevent issues like this, all because they're betting they can save some money that way. (this is mostly hearsay from dutch train nerds so I have no source to back this assumption up with, nor do I speak Dutch)

Open ##2739329
@PalmAndNeedle@norden.social 2026-01-06 22:02

@evdelen@mstdn.ca @Aurora_Bee@deadinsi.de the snow on the rail head is not the problem. It's the point rails freezing to the fixed rails, and the snow in the switch and the frog compacting and freezing solid. Mainline rail has a crossection of 70cm^2, and weighs 54kg per meter. It's a giant heat sink. So you can't heat the rail to melt the ice. And you can't put anything directly where the freezing happens, because it would get crushed between rail and point rail pressing together, or rail and wheel flange.

Open ##2739331