MQT3001 wrote:How much does line usage effect the abilities of switch heaters? It seems that more trains would help keep the snow clear better. Often times switches on the GR sub might not get used for more than 12 hours, not to mention thrown. Fact or fiction?
Keeping the points moving will help keep snow from building up. That's why we exercise the electric switches at Avon whenever we can, even when we had blowers.
If anything, more traffic will cause the snow to blow and pack into the points, and around the throw rod. When it gets really bad, dispatchers on double track lines will attempt to limit the need to throw switches in the first place, eliminating cross over moves where they can, etc.
Heaters are only a 'stop gap' solution. If its snowing hard enough, they won't keep ahead of the snow. That is when you need a broom to sweep out the majority of the snow, and chip away the ice. Leaf blowers make for good snow removal. When it gets really bad, they break out the jet blowers. It is a DC10 engine mounted on a 'sled'. Only bad thing about that is it melts the snow, and if it gets really cold, will cause everything to freeze solid. Also throws rocks, debris, brake shoes, etc so you don't want to be standing near it.
Practice Safe CSX