Very enlightening. Who would have though that a small chunk of ice could jam things up so thoroughly? Too bad there's no good method of preventing ice buildup on the bottom of the trains.
There doesn't seem much substitute form having people physically remove the lumps of ice. Even when they do it quickly, it will still cause delays, as they can't just wander out onto the tracks.
"Can't they use de-icers like on the air planes?" February 26, 2015 at 10:26 AM
The Ethylene Glycol used on the airplanes would contaminate the ground water if used in the quantities required to keep the switches clear. At the airport they normally do it on a pad where they can recapture the Ethylene Glycol
TomW said...
"I don't get why Greg Percy is wearing a hardhat. Especially one that has never seen action."
February 26, 2015 at 10:46 AM
Probably because it is A WSIB requirement. You can never tell when a ground hog might pick up a piece of rock ice and throw it at you. Perhaps a flack jacket would have also been nice.
I think he picked up this idea from the TTC where Byford and Uphold (?) make videos to explain what is happening.
It is nice to see that GO with its modern rail cars is having a similar amount of problems with this very cold winter as the TTC is. I believe that the new streetcars without an air brake system will be better able to cope with with the winter than GO's rail switches will.
GO has to change its operations to use as few of those 220 switches near Union as possible in very cold weather. That is one reason they do not run express services in heavy snow. This allows them to run one outbound track and one inbound thus requiring the use of switches at only a few locations.
Everyone at all times while on the tracks has to have safety shoes and hard hats, no exceptions.
Even the president has to follow those rules or be given a citation.
My brother who used to work for TTR in conjunction with GO let me know the rules. Three infractions and you can't go there again no matter who you are.
Plus they don't use glycol (as I did ask that myself) because of the expense and environmental concerns. It would have to be sprayed under each car and loco all the time to be effective.
8 comments:
Very enlightening. Who would have though that a small chunk of ice could jam things up so thoroughly?
Too bad there's no good method of preventing ice buildup on the bottom of the trains.
Flames. Flames that shoot out from under the train. Flame throwers that are installed under the train.
Flames.
FLAMES!!!
Can't they use de-icers like on the air planes?
There doesn't seem much substitute form having people physically remove the lumps of ice. Even when they do it quickly, it will still cause delays, as they can't just wander out onto the tracks.
I don't get why Greg Percy is wearing a hardhat. Especially one that has never seen action.
Anonymous said...
"Can't they use de-icers like on the air planes?"
February 26, 2015 at 10:26 AM
The Ethylene Glycol used on the airplanes would contaminate the ground water if used in the quantities required to keep the switches clear. At the airport they normally do it on a pad where they can recapture the Ethylene Glycol
TomW said...
"I don't get why Greg Percy is wearing a hardhat. Especially one that has never seen action."
February 26, 2015 at 10:46 AM
Probably because it is A WSIB requirement. You can never tell when a ground hog might pick up a piece of rock ice and throw it at you. Perhaps a flack jacket would have also been nice.
I think he picked up this idea from the TTC where Byford and Uphold (?) make videos to explain what is happening.
It is nice to see that GO with its modern rail cars is having a similar amount of problems with this very cold winter as the TTC is. I believe that the new streetcars without an air brake system will be better able to cope with with the winter than GO's rail switches will.
GO has to change its operations to use as few of those 220 switches near Union as possible in very cold weather. That is one reason they do not run express services in heavy snow. This allows them to run one outbound track and one inbound thus requiring the use of switches at only a few locations.
@Tom
Everyone at all times while on the tracks has to have safety shoes and hard hats, no exceptions.
Even the president has to follow those rules or be given a citation.
My brother who used to work for TTR in conjunction with GO let me know the rules. Three infractions and you can't go there again no matter who you are.
Plus they don't use glycol (as I did ask that myself) because of the expense and environmental concerns. It would have to be sprayed under each car and loco all the time to be effective.
And during the summer the heat will buckle the tracks.
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