The main measure to prevent snow drifts at stations, along with the necessary snow protection, is the timely cleaning of station tracks from snow and its cleaning.

Clearing the tracks from snow at the stations is carried out by snow plows and track plows, and cleaning is done by snow plows and snow loaders and, in extreme cases, by snow trains. The integrated use of snowplows, road plows and snowplows is highly expedient. At the same time, the tracks are cleared with snow plows or plows with the transfer of snow to a certain track, then the snow is removed by snow plows or snow loaders or the snow is transferred to a certain inter-track, from which the snow is loaded onto snow trains. The snow shaft created for loading by machines is usually given a width of 2.7 - 3 m and height 0.4 - 0.6 m.

The main technological processes for the integrated use of snowplows at stations are:

a) when the snow layer thickness is less than 10 cm above the rail head - transshipment of snow with a snowplow or plow-snowplow (Fig. 141) and cleaning with a snowplow or snowloader;

b) with a snow layer thickness of more than 10 cm- cleaning it with a snowplow or snowloader without preliminary transshipment of snow;

c) snow removal by a TsUMZ system machine with transverse loading of snow onto a conventional or self-unloading rolling stock with preliminary snow transfer by a snow plow, plow or the machine itself;

d) transshipment of snow with a snow plow or a plow towards the extreme path and then down a slope; in some cases, in particular, when the station is located in a recess to remove snow from the extreme tracks, rotary snow blowers can be used.

If there is a shortage of vehicles, snow is loaded manually on a conventional or self-unloading rolling stock with preliminary transshipment of snow by a plow at a certain inter-track.

Plows and snow plows are also used for breaking ice and compacted snow from the tracks. To do this, instead of knives, special combs with steel teeth are attached to the bow. Chipped ice and snow are dumped outside the tracks.

With great efficiency, snowplows, especially plows, are used for leveling and dumping the unloaded snow further from the track, so that snow excavations are not formed at the unloading points and at the outer tracks.

Gavrichenko snowplows and more advanced TsUMZ snowplows with improved design gondola cars work on the roads. The permissible snow loading height on the machine's conveyor is 1.8 m, which gives the volume of compacted snow in one gondola car about 60 m 3, and in total in the composition of the snow blower about 350 - 400 m 3 . With a layer of loose snow on the way up to 30 cm the gearbox of the machine is switched to low speed, and the snow blower at a speed of 15 km/h passes 800 m way to full load. With a layer of snow up to 90 cm the gearbox is switched to high speed, and the snow blower at speed 8 km/h runs until full load 300 m.

For simultaneous cleaning of tracks and turnouts (switch necks), brush snowplows SM-2 designed by PKB TsP and designed by TsNII MPS are used. The SM-2 machine is located at the head of the snowplow train, then one or two intermediate gondola cars with a capacity of 140 m 3 and a trailer gondola car with an ejection device with a capacity of 95 m 3 . The machine provides complete cleaning of tracks and turnouts to the level of the top bed of the sleepers, allows the use of the useful volume of gondola cars when cleaning snow of various thicknesses and unloading it on a small front in the parking lot or when the train is moving.

The maximum performance of the CM-2 machine with a snow density of 0.4 t / m 3 equals 1 200 m 3; maximum height of cleared snow layer 0.8 m; wing width 5.1 m.

When developing an operational plan, the number of runs of a snowplow train per shift can be determined by the formula

Where T- shift duration min;

Σ t- the duration of one revolution of the snow blower in min;

t 1 - the time required to load the composition, in min;

t 2 - time to run to the place of unloading and back to min;

t 3 - time of unloading the composition in minutes;

t 4 - downtime waiting for the route to be ready and the path to be cleared for work, min.

The time for loading and unloading depends on the capacity of the machine and the capacity of the intermediate cars; the time to wait for the release of the track from the trains, to wait for the route to follow, depends mainly on the degree of coherence of the work of the track and station workers.

To reduce the time spent on running to the place of unloading and back, special dead ends or flyovers are arranged at large stations, located so that the snow blower does not have to cross the main paths and necks when moving to unloading and back.

With well-established operation, the machine can make up to 26 or more trips per day, as is provided by advanced mechanics of a series of stations.

The time required to remove snow from that part of the station tracks, on which, according to the plan, snow blowers should work, is determined by the formula

Where T 0 - station cleaning time in days;

ω is the area of ​​the station to be cleaned in m 2 ;

h- the thickness of the snow layer in m;

n- number of flights per shift;

V- the amount of snow loaded into the snowplow train, in m 3 \

α - snow compaction coefficient;

m- number of shifts per day.

One of the ways to remove snow from station tracks, especially in places where mechanical cleaning and removal is difficult, is melting with snow melters. There are snow melters of a stationary type, operating on waste heat from depots and other sources, as well as mobile ones.

Arutyunov's mobile snow melter collects snow from the path to the shaft with wings and a scraper conveyor with a capacity of 540 m 3 /h delivers it to a hot water pool with a capacity of 6.5 m 3 . Centrifugal pump capacity 144 m 3 /h pumps water into tanks, in which water is transported to the place of discharge. Machine speed 0.5 - 8 km/h. Snow melter performance at maximum steam extraction 60 m 3/h of dense snow. The use of snow melters is especially beneficial in places where there are no nearby places for snow dumps, such as at large passenger stations.

Various stationary pneumatic, electric and gas heating devices are used for timely and fast cleaning of turnouts from snow. Remote-controlled pneumoblowing devices developed by the Giprotranssignalsvyaz Institute are the most widely used. These devices (Fig. 142) are designed to clean the space between the frame rail and the pressed blade, including sliding pads and stop bolts. Air for cleaning is supplied from the nearest compressor unit.

Electrical heating of the hands is carried out with the help of heating elements, which are seamless steel tubes, inside which a filament spiral and a mass of electrical insulator (magnesium oxide) are placed.

The Design Bureau of the Main Department of the Track has developed two versions of heating elements: with curved tubes that simultaneously heat switch cushions, sharp points and partially frame rails, and with straight heating tubes installed in the bosom between the sharp points and frame rails.

Electric heating installation (Fig. 143) is designed for three-phase alternating current 220 V, the heating temperature of the tube surface reaches 350°C.

Electrically heated switches are economically viable in areas where sufficient electricity is available.

In areas with a sufficient amount of natural gas, it turns out to be an economically feasible measure for gas heating of switches.

The installation of gas heating of switches consists mainly of two parts: a gas heating apparatus and a supply gas network.

The gas-heating apparatus is a radiant gas burner, consisting of a suction and mixing chamber, a radiant head with ceramic tiles, on the surface of which gas is burned, a windproof chamber and a transition tube connecting the burner to the gas distribution network.

Heaters of the radiant type transfer heat to the metal elements of the turnout and to the surrounding air, ensuring the melting and evaporation of snow within the working area of ​​the switch. The number of such heaters is determined by calculation and depends on the type of turnout, the brand of the cross, the power of the heating elements and climatic conditions. On average, 10 - 12 heaters are installed at the turnout.

Questions for self-examination

1. Under what conditions are snow deposits formed and how are the places on the way divided into categories of drift?

2. What organizations provide hydrometeorological services for railway transport?

3. Tell us the main content of the operational plan for snow control at a distance?

4. What types of snow protection are used on railways and what are the technical and economic characteristics of the main types of protection?

5. How is the mechanized snow clearing organized at the hauls and stations?

OOO "STROYPUTSSERVIS"
We offer a full range of services in the field of construction, repair and maintenance of public and non-public tracks, from the development of a feasibility study for the construction of an object to the commissioning of a railway track and its further maintenance (turnkey). Extensive experience in the structural subdivisions of the Ministry of Railways and Russian Railways, professional managers and highly qualified production personnel, the availability of equipment, tools and materials for the superstructure of the track, compliance with warranty obligations to the customer - these are the advantages that allow us to complete work on time and in full compliance with contracts, standards and technical documentation, taking into account all the wishes of the customer. We offer services in the Northwestern Federal District (St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, Arkhangelsk and the Arkhangelsk Region, Veliky Novgorod and the Novgorod Region, Petrozavodsk and the Republic of Karelia, Syktyvkar and the Komi Republic, Pskov and the Pskov Region, Vologda and the Vologda Region).

Clearing the path from snow

Organization and technology of manual path clearing

Clearing the path of snow, on which the composition is located, when deep drifts are formed, it should be done in parts. As cleaning the railway track from snow wagons should be taken one by one to a place cleared of snow. Exempted from skidding, the composition in parts or completely is displayed at a separate point for formation and further following its destination.

After cleaning the composition from the infested area railroad tracks it is necessary to immediately complete the cutting of the walls of the snow trench in such a way that the gauge of the track is provided for the unhindered movement of trains and the operation of the snowplow.

When manually cleaning the railway track snow inside the track must be cleared at least 50 mm below the level of the top of the rail head, and outside the track - at a level with the top of the rail head.

On the underhill tracks in the areas of wagon braking with shoes, it is made on both sides of the rail below the level of the top of the rail head by 50 mm.

Clearing snow and ice from turnouts

The most vulnerable elements of the path during snowfalls and blizzards are turnouts and, first of all, arrows in the area of ​​​​adjacency of wits and frame rails, as well as sleeper boxes with transfer rods.

When clearing turnouts from snow first of all, they clean the space between the frame rails and the switch blades, the electric drive rods, the movable cores of the crosses, the counter-rail and cross gutters, i.e. the switch itself, if the frozen snow or ice is not blown out by a jet of air (during pneumatic blowing), it is necessary to clean with a scraper .

In the pre-winter period for the effective functioning of stationary devices clearing arrows from snow ballast should be cut out in sleeper boxes so that the clearance between the base rail foot and the ballast is at least 10 cm. Clearing the turnouts from snow and ice during snowfalls and blizzards should be carried out by stationary pneumatic hose cleaning devices and manually using tools. On turnouts for ice chipping an impact pneumatic or electric tool can be used.

For companies equipped turnouts, local instructions for organizing work and ensuring safety must be approved in the prescribed manner when clearing turnouts from snow and ice.

Cleared turnouts and railroad tracks this is a guarantee of safe and uninterrupted movement of the locomotive, and hence the stable operation of the enterprise.

2.8.1. When preparing for winter, the territories of stations and hauls must be prepared for the operation of snowplows and snowplows: the materials of the upper structure are removed and laid in certain places, which, if necessary, must be fenced, tall grass and weeds must be mowed, plates with the number switch or the switch number is marked on the drive, and way boxes, bootlegs and other devices should be marked with appropriate signs. It is necessary to make trial runs of the snowplows in working condition, during which they determine dangerous places, especially passenger platforms, crowded places and other obstacles, where in order to prevent injury to passengers, it is forbidden to open the wings and it is necessary to limit the speed of the snowplow in working condition. On the basis of test runs, the operating time of the snowplow on the haul must be determined in order to establish it in the train schedule.

2.8.2. For each station equipped with electrical interlocking of turnouts, a local instruction on labor protection during the cleaning of turnouts must be developed and approved in the prescribed manner, in which the following must be established:

The procedure for notifying track fitters performing work on cleaning centralized arrows about the reception, departure of trains, shunting movements;

The procedure for notifying locomotive and drafting teams about the places where work is being done to clean the switches;

The procedure for recording the work manager about the place and time of track work at the station in the Journal of Inspection of Tracks of Turnouts, Signaling Devices, Communications and Contact Network.

In cases where a road foreman allocates track fitters without a track foreman to the head of the station to clear the turnouts from snow, the work is supervised by the station worker, whose position is indicated in the local instructions or in the order for the station. He is also responsible for the safety of the work.

2.8.3. The clearing of arrows from snow can be supervised by: a road foreman, a track foreman, specially trained track fitters of at least 3 categories of track distances and PMS, as well as employees of other railway enterprises aimed at fighting snow and having passed a medical examination and issued an order for a distance of a track in in the prescribed manner.

Turnout cleaning supervisors are responsible for ensuring the safety of workers. They should not be directly involved in the work of clearing the tracks and arrows from snow.

2.8.4. The heads of railway enterprises, who are responsible for cleaning switches, switch necks and other areas of the station, together with the head of the distance of the track and station, are obliged to:

Conduct training for senior groups in the duties of a signalman, make them responsible for ensuring the safety of those working under their leadership;

Familiarize each employee involved in the fight against snow with the features of the station, the location of the railroad switches, their numbering;

To conduct with each employee involved in the fight against snow, briefing on labor protection.

2.8.5. To clear the tracks and arrows from snow, it is allowed to attach groups of workers to the head of these works:

On single-track sections and station tracks - no more than 15 people;

On double-track sections - no more than 20 people;

On arrows - no more than 6 people.

At separate points where there is no permanent shunting work, it is allowed to perform work on turnouts by one track fitter of at least the 3rd category. The list of such separate points, the procedure for notifying the track fitter of the approach of trains and additional security measures are established by the head of the railway department (in the absence of departments - by the chief engineer of the railway), the head of the station, to whom these separate points are assigned, in agreement with the technical labor inspector of the trade union.

2.8.6. Track fitters working during the first winter are not allowed to work independently on cleaning centralized turnouts. They must be trained in the specifics of working in winter conditions, work only in a group, and be assigned to experienced track fitters.

2.8.7. Before starting cleaning at centralized turnouts, a senior group or a track fitter working in one person must protect the place of work during the day with a red signal, at night and in the daytime in case of fog, snowstorms and other adverse conditions that impair visibility - with a hand lantern with red lights.

On the turnout between the retracted wit and the frame rail, as well as on the crosspieces with a movable core between the core and the guardrail against the rods of the electric drive, a wooden insert must be laid.

2.8.8. The collection of workers involved in the fight against snow should be carried out at points not connected with the crossing of railway lines.

2.8.9. The passage to the place of clearing the tracks from snow on the haul and the return back should take place away from the railway track or along the side of the road.

In conditions of heavy drifts, when passage away from the track and along the side of the road is impossible, it is allowed to pass along the track in compliance with the requirements of clause 2.1.3 of these Rules.

2.8.10. Works on cleaning centralized turnouts from snow should be carried out during breaks between the movement of trains and shunting trains. Work on switches located on hump and sorting tracks should be carried out only during breaks in shunting work and the dissolution of wagons or with the closure of the track after agreement with the hill duty officer.

In all cases of work performed on turnouts, the work manager must make an appropriate entry in the Logbook for the inspection of tracks, turnouts, signaling devices, communications and contact networks, indicating the place and time of work.

2.8.11. The work manager, team leader or self-employed track fitter must:

Personally or by phone, agree on a work plan with the duty officer at the station (hill, shunting area);

Control the timely notification of track fitters about the reception, departure, passage of trains and upcoming shunting movements.

2.8.12. Work on turnouts equipped with pneumatic blowing devices must be carried out by two track fitters. One track fitter must work directly with the hose. Another track fitter must perform the duties of an observer (signalman). He must be at the valve for connecting the hose to the air dispensing column, monitor the movement of the rolling stock and be ready at any time to stop the supply of compressed air, signal to the person working with the hose about the approach of the rolling stock (including on the adjacent track) and, together with it, remove the hose into interpath.

When crossing several paths, the hose should be laid under the rails in sleeper boxes, cleared of snow and ballast in advance.

2.8.13. When working on turnouts equipped with electrical heating devices, turning on and off the heating of the corresponding group of switches can be carried out remotely by the station attendant or directly on site from the control cabinet by employees of the track distance or other workers in accordance with the Technical Instructions for the maintenance of electric heating devices for cleaning turnouts from snow according to local conditions.

It is forbidden to perform any work on the turnout with the electric heating turned on, except for manual cleaning using a non-metallic tool and hose blowing.

2.8.14. Clearing the tracks from snow and its cleaning at hauls and stations should be carried out, as a rule, by snow plows and snow plows. In places where the operation of machines is impossible or in the absence of them, it is allowed to clear the tracks from snow and clean it manually in compliance with the following safety requirements:

When clearing the track with trenches or cutting snow slopes after cleaning with snow plows, niches should be made in the slopes at a distance of 20 - 25 m from one another with their arrangement in a checkerboard pattern so that workers can be accommodated in them when passing trains.

The dimensions of the niche should be determined in each individual case by the number of workers, taking into account their location in the niche no closer than 2 m from the outermost rail, but be at least 0.75 m deep and at least 2 m wide.

When clearing the path of snow in the recesses, measures should be taken to prevent snowfall.

When cleaning station tracks and switches, it is necessary to pile snow into shafts in which gaps should be made (1 m wide at least every 9 m), or into piles with the same gaps for ease of work and passage.

2.8.15. Work on cleaning and cleaning the hill and foothill paths from snow can be carried out only during periods when these paths are closed.

2.8.16. Utility trains for snow removal outside the station are formed from 10 - 15 platforms and a car for workers following to the place of unloading and back, as well as for their heating.

Loading of snow on train platforms and its unloading should be carried out only at a complete stop of the train. When the train moves along the work front, workers can be on the platform no closer than 1.0 m from the sides.

2.8.17. During periods of severe frost, medical workers should be present at the sites of mass work to clear the track and arrows from snow to prevent and assist in frostbite.

Clearing the railroad from snow, including tram tracks, is a must. security requirement.

After all, a layer of snow 10 cm thick represents serious threat passengers standing on:

• platforms;
• stops.

If the snow thickness exceeds 20 cm, this can lead to a complete cessation of movement.

In this article we will talk about the various means that are used to deal with snow on railway and tram tracks.

On railway and tram tracks three types of technology:

• wheeled and tracked snow removal equipment;
• snow blowers based on locomotives, wagons or self-propelled platforms;
• attachments for standard wagons or locomotives.

Wheeled and tracked vehicles

Wheeled and tracked vehicles are not much different from the one you can read about in the article about KDM.

This technique made on chassis:

• trucks;
• tractors.

Main difference is in the configuration.

After all, cars with high-speed dumps are not required to clean the railway and tram tracks.

Therefore, instead of high-speed dumps, equipment is installed that is more suitable for one or another situations.

Also very in demand:

• loading equipment (we wrote about it here (loading equipment));
• dump trucks for snow removal.

You will find more detailed information about them in the article (Snow removal equipment).

Snow blower options

Snow blowers for railway and tram tracks there are:

• self-propelled;
• non-self-propelled.

They are made on the base:

• shunting locomotives;
• small wheeled platforms.

Even when a snowplow is made on the basis of a wagon or an empty wheeled platform, engine installation turns it into a self-propelled snowplow that is not inferior in terms of snow removal efficiency to any other diesel locomotive.

The range of problems solved by such a machine depends on configuration hanging equipment.

Advantage such a snow blower is that it can deliver road workers to problem areas who perform work that is inaccessible to technology.

For example, they can:

• clean the waypoints after removing the snow using a blade;
• pave the way in the tunnels.

However, railroad snow blowers not in high demand.

After all, they can only perform a small number of tasks associated with clearing snow from paths.

Exceptions are cars that can be used at other times of the year. for repair or maintenance ways.

Because of high price they are bought only by some enterprises involved in the maintenance / maintenance of railways and stations.

Much more in demand attachments that turn an ordinary locomotive or wagon into a powerful snowplow train.

Attachment

Mounted snow removal railway equipment is the devices of the following classes:

• plow;
• rotary screw;
• brush;
• pneumoblowing.

Plow

Plow devices are dumps various:

• forms;
• sizes.

They are similar to those that are installed on road equipment. Read more about plow technology here (plough attachments).

They designed to clear the rails from snow up to 2 meters deep.

Straight and oblique dumps are used for:

• patrol cleaning;
• track pads

on railways with two or more tracks.

You can use these devices on single-track roads. However, in this case more efficient double-sided dumps.

Straight and oblique plows throw snow in one direction. Therefore, they are turned so that the snow is thrown to the right. Snow throwing to the left is possible only on single-track sections of railways, provided that the snow is fall into a cliff.

Rotary screw

Rotary augers work on the same principle as attachments for road equipment, which we talked about in this article (Auger rotary devices and their modifications).

These devices grind the snow mass and throw it away from the tracks in the most convenient direction.

Travel speed when cleaning the railway with the help of a screw-rotor unit, it is much lower than when working with a plow device.

However, the rotary able to cope with snow cover up to 4 meters deep, which is beyond the power of any blade. Therefore, it makes sense to use a rotary locomotive snowplow in especially difficult situations.

In most cases, a snow blower is powered by a powerful electric motor connected to the onboard network:

• locomotive;
• self-propelled platform.

Brush

The brush devices used to clean the railway track are similar to those we talked about in this article (Brush attachments) in their own way:

• principle of work;
• designs.

They not intended For:

• track punching;
• dealing with deep snow.

Their main purpose:

• fight with freshly fallen snow;
• cleaning of turnouts.

After all, the snow that has clogged between the shooters endangers traffic safety, because the energy of the servo may not be enough to move the arrow to the correct position.

Clearing the translation of fresh and, more importantly, packed snow allows the servo to:

• normal to switch the arrow;
• direct the trains on the right tracks.

Pneumatic blowers

Pneumatic blowers are used to clear snow from track transfers.

Depending on the design, they create a flow cold or hot air.

Hot air more efficient, because it not only blows away the snow, but also ensures the melting of ice, so that the cleaning of the translation is more effective.

Hot air must be used if there was heavy rain before the snowfall and a lot of snow formed on the transfer.

Under such conditions, air blowing equipment outperforms in efficiency even brush devices that cannot cope with thick ice.

Almost any of the listed attachments turns an ordinary diesel locomotive into a powerful and efficient railway snowplow.

Modern equipment

Many enterprises still use equipment made in the second half of the twentieth century. After all, the purchase of new snow removal equipment for railways requires considerable costs.

New equipment:

• surpasses the old in reliability;
• more productive and versatile.

Here is a table in which you will find various samples of modern technology designed to clean railway and tram tracks from snow.

Price such equipment depends on:

• configuration;
• additional wishes of the customer.

Therefore, the final cost must be found out from:

• manufacturer;
• official dealer.

Features of the use of special equipment and safety of work

During the cleaning of railway and tram tracks, it is necessary not only to remove snow that interferes with the progress of trains or trams, but also to move it so that it did not get on the passing paths.

Therefore, the procedure for using special equipment, as well as the sequence of actions when cleaning railways, detailed in various documents.

Here are some of them:

1. Instructions for organizing snowfighting OJSC Russian Railways (RZD) dated October 22, 2013 - tdesant.ru.
2. TsP-751 Instructions for snow fighting on railways Russian Federation developed by VNIIZhT MPS - snipov.net.
3. Instructions for snow removal on railways Russian Federation dated April 25, 2000 - docs.cntd.ru.
4. Order of Russian Railways dated November 18, 2014 on the approval of a temporary methodology for estimating labor costs for work on cleaning the elements of the upper structure of the railway track from snow - jd-doc.ru.
5. POT RO-32-CP-652-99 – Rules for labor protection in the maintenance and repair of the railway track and structures(approved by the Ministry of Railways of the Russian Federation on February 24, 1999) - sudact.ru.

The cleaning of tram tracks from snow is regulated by the same regulations, in which the procedure for cleaning city streets from snow is prescribed. Links to these documents can be found in this article (GK).

Conclusion

Correct use special equipment is a guarantee that the railway and tram communication will function without interruptions.

After carefully reading this article, did you find out:

• what equipment is used to clean railway and tram tracks;
• in which regulatory documents the procedure for using these devices is prescribed;
• what safety rules must be followed.

In this video you can see how the railway snowplow works:

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