Snow on Tracks

[Guest]

Just out of curiosity. How does Amtrak clear snow from their tracks. Or in the case where the tracks are CSX tracks, how do they do it?

I live in the northeast, and we had a lot of snow over the weekend, and see from the web that there were delays as a result. Is there special equipment that runs ahead of the trains?

 

[lepearso]

I don't know much about Amtrak operations in the northeast; however, I assume that they maintain a fleet of snow removal equipment. On other Amtrak lines, the host railroads, like CSX, maintain snow removal equipment. In mild climates it is usually a simple plow ahead of a vehicle that runs on the rails. In harsh climates it is usually a larger aparatus that works like a huge blower. Some railroads also have features that are less noticeable, like switch heaters.

Even with these measures, trains can still run late and in some cases not run at all. Sometimes the late operation of Amtrak and other trains is to allow inspection and or clearing of the rail lines. If conditions do not permit a safe operation, the train will have a slow order or be annulled, depending on what the track supervisor determines.