Setting rail tracks on fire to deice them

[railfire90]

Why can't network rail do this in this country

 

[Lucy1501]

We also have point heaters in this country, though not all points are fitted with them. They’re not as dramatic as setting stuff on fire, however.

I believe in some third rail areas there’s also the abillity to warm them up to deice them as well.

 

[Ducatist4]

They do already, some points have propane heaters to melt the ice but its more often electrically done these days.

 

[swt_passenger]

Why can't network rail do this in this country

Because we’ve moved on from the cheap and cheerful, and have permanently installed gas or electric point heaters?

 

[Trackman]

They do already, some points have propane heaters to melt the ice but its more often electrically done these days.

Thought they had all gone now, due to reliability and costs.

 

[Ducatist4]

Up till last year there was a set near me that had two large propane tanks nearby. I've not been there recently. I'll have another look next time I'm out that way, its the start of the test track just outside Shirebrook.

 

[swt_passenger]

I think the YouTube video has been posted here before, but I can’t find it. I expect there’s a rebuttal of the “set fire to it” method somewhere…

 

[edwin_m]

The climate is rather colder in Chicago than in the UK.

I believe propane point heaters were being phased out in the UK a few years ago, with priority given to routes carrying a lot of oil traffic. Can't say if there are any left.

 

[Elecman]

I don’t believe there are any gas heated systems left now on the main network

 

[BrummieBobby]

As a signaller, all the areas that I sign currently or have signed previously have winter working instructions to the effect of "Move points and raise and lower semaphore signals (If this can be done safely) during night hours during winter" to prevent points and semaphore arms becoming frozen in place. We also ask drivers of the first trains of the day to examine the line for icicles in tunnels at certain locations.

 

[Benjwri]

Why can't network rail do this in this country

Because it's a health and safety nightmare, as alluded to by many others, solely from the idea of anything leaking and causing a larger fire of the stored propellent. Even in the example given from Chicago this is in a build up area where it can be watched closely. Their use is also only because Chicago is so cold electric heaters are not always powerful enough. In the UK when they are working, they usually work, and if they break the outcome is far less disastrous than it could be if a fire based propellant were to.

Probably worth mentioning that the current state of the network means if they tried that here half the surrounding area would end up on fire alongside it even if it worked well anyways.

 

[Pigeon]

It is a grossly wasteful and inefficient method compared with burning the fuel in a proper burner designed to direct the flame onto the rail. Nearly all the heat just goes straight up in the air and very little of it goes where it's needed.

 

[Benjwri]

It is a grossly wasteful and inefficient method compared with burning the fuel in a proper burner designed to direct the flame onto the rail. Nearly all the heat just goes straight up in the air and very little of it goes where it's needed.

To be fair it should be made clear the rails in Chicago are not on fire themselves, and it is being done the way you describe. The flames have to be that big because of the intense cold.