Solutions to Railroad Winter Problems

Winter is coming; the most trying time of the year for maintenance of way crews. Winter not only makes track maintenance more difficult, but also poses large safety concerns to the crews along with those traveling passenger rail as well. The challenges a difficult winter presents to the railroad can bring operations to a halt. Here are some problem solutions to help your workers combat sub-zero struggles during winter on track.

Problem: Frozen switches, locks and hydraulic connections, and unsafe walkways.

Solution: RR Winterizer stops ice before it starts. It is an anti icer and deicer in one. Winterizer prevents ice from bonding with rail or other components such as switches, derails, locks, passenger walkways, running boards, flangeways, moveable bridges, and hundreds of other materials by spraying it before a snowfall. Winterizer can also be used as a deicer (ice melter) after snowfall, and has a low freezing point of -76 degrees Fahrenheit. It is biodegradable, non hazardous to all plant and animal life, and non corrosive to any material as well.

Problem: Critical components are impacted with snow and ice.

Solution: Once a heavy snow falls, components crucial to railroad operations and safety, such as switches and derails, become impacted with snow and ice. The durable polypropylene bristles on our Switch Broom paired with its chisel-end serves double duty for heavy deicing jobs, or for snow and debris removal from critical components and hard to reach places. Another portable solution to a heavily frozen switch or derail is a Switch Heater Can. It quickly thaws snow and ice using just kerosene and a wick.

Problem: Rail pulls apart and requires a quick repair.

Solution: Heating rail with the old diesel and rope method is not only messy and environmentally hazardous, but also time consuming and wasteful. Maintenance crews often waste kerosene, diesel soaked gloves and other gear with this messy method, and waste time and additional resources to soak the rope, and then have to clean the remnants afterward. FireSnake is the simple, smokeless, non-toxic solution to heating rail and other components. It burns clean to protect the safety of workers and the environment, and requires zero cleanup.

A large enough rail pull apart will require a rail puller, such as  Enerpac's Hydraulic 120 Ton Rail Puller. Its hydraulic retractable spreader beam easily secures the puller onto the rail also making it a more compact puller. No disassembly required for transport or storage.

Problem: Snow and large debris on track.

Solution: For clearing of snow from the track, use a ballast regulator with a high performance Club-Style Broom Element, which is wider, more durable, and lasts 15 to 20 percent longer than standard broom elements making it ideal for snow regulation. Before winter storms hit, use a powerful excavator with a mulching attachment, such as the Supertrak 170RR Hi-Rail Excavator plus Mulcher to remove large trees or foliage that are fouling the track.

Industry Railway is going on our 56th winter in business, allowing us to forecast sufficient inventory levels according to past winter product trends. We stock appropriate materials and products based on this knowledge therefore we can ship them to you in a time-sensitive manner should a railroad winter crisis occur.

Does RR Winterizer really work? Watch our 1 month test below: