Snow removal on railway transport: strategy for protecting steel railways

Ensuring uninterrupted train movement during the winter period is a complex logistical and engineering task. Unlike roadways, railway infrastructure is vulnerable not only to snow on the track but also to icing of the contact network, snowdrifts in cuttings, the formation of snow dunes on stretches, and avalanche danger. Snow removal here is carried out proactively, combining powerful specialized equipment, continuous monitoring, and clear action protocols.

Major threats and strategies for combating them

Track snowdrifts and the formation of snow drifts.

Threat: Snow blown by the wind can completely fill the track, threatening derailment, damage to running gear, and blocking of movement.

Equipment and methods:

Snowplows: There are ram (light, for fresh snow), rotary (heavy, for compacted drifts), and chain-rotary (most powerful). Rotary snowplows (such as Soviet SM-2 or modern PSS-1M) are the "kings" of clearing. Their augers grind the snow, and the rotor throws it 20-50 meters from the track.

Plow snowplows: Installed on locomotives or special wagons for clearing tracks of fresh snow of small height.

Interesting fact: In the conditions of the Far North (Yakutia, the Kola Peninsula), permanent snow protection screens and galleries are built at the design stage to protect tracks from snow drifts — sort of "tunnels" through which the railway passes.

Icing of switchpoints and contact networks.

Threat: Ice blocks the mechanism of switchpoints, disrupting routing. Icing of the contact wire leads to loss of contact with the collector, arcing, and breaks.

Equipment and methods:

Switchpoint heaters: Gas (propane-butane) or electric systems built directly into the switchpoint structure. They are turned on automatically by signals from temperature and humidity sensors.

Train defectoscopes and snowplows with special equipment: Modern diagnostic complexes (in Russia — PDK/PDM) combine the functions of track cleaning and blowing switches with compressed hot air. For the contact network, special defectoscope wagons and express electric locomotives equipped with anti-icing systems (such as impulse heating of the wire) are used.

Manual treatment: In critical situations, track gangs manually clean switches and apply liquid or gel anti-icing compositions that do not cause corrosion.

Snow avalanches in mountainous areas.

Threat: Complete destruction of the track, crashes (tragedy on the Saint-Gotthard Pass in Switzerland in 2010).

Methods: Construction of avalanche protection galleries (as on the Trans-Siberian Railway in the Baikal area or on Alpine roads), preemptive avalanche release using artillery fire or explosives (practiced in Switzerland, Austria, Russia on the Northern Caucasus), installation of snow retention barriers on slopes.

Organization of work: the principle of constant readiness

Snow removal on railways is a round-the-clock process during the winter, not a reaction to a specific snowfall. The dispatching service plays a key role, which, based on data from meteorological stations installed along the tracks and patrol trolleys, decides on the dispatch of snow removal equipment.

System of echeloning: The most responsible sections (mountain passes, approaches to large junctions) are protected first. Snowplows can work "in a caravan": first, ram or plow, then rotary for eliminating residual drifts.

"Winter schedules": In many sections with severe climates, special schedules are introduced, providing for increased intervals between trains for cleaning "windows" or reducing speeds.

Examples of advanced practices worldwide

Japan (Hokkaido Island): To protect against abundant snowfall on the Hokkaido Shinkansen line, a comprehensive set of measures is used: fully enclosed galleries on mountain sections, heating of tracks and switches, as well as powerful rotary snowplows capable of working at high speeds. The wagons of the trains have a special aerodynamic shape, minimizing the accumulation of snow on the track.

Switzerland (Alps): Mountain roads (such as Berninabahn or Jurabahn) are protected by tens of kilometers of avalanche protection galleries and overpasses. Automated meteorological systems are used, giving orders to close sections in avalanche danger. Compact rail snowplows are used for cleaning stations and tracks.

Russia (Trans-Siberian Railway, BAM): Here is concentrated one of the most powerful in the world parks of snow removal equipment, including legendary steam-powered snowplows in the past and modern PSS-1M. Work is organized on a section basis: each section of the track is assigned its own equipment and teams, which allows for prompt response to drifts in conditions of extremely low temperatures (up to -50°C) and "snow puffs" — especially loose and voluminous snow.

Economic and technological challenge

The maintenance of winter readiness of railways is incredibly costly. A modern rotary snowplow can cost several million dollars. The energy costs for heating switches and stations are huge. Therefore, today the emphasis is on forecasting and preventive measures:

Use of thermal imagers and sensors for monitoring the condition of tracks.

Development of new hydrophobic coatings for contact wires.

Application of geographic information systems (GIS) for modeling avalanche and drift hazards.

Conclusion

Snow removal on railway transport is not just clearing the track, but a comprehensive system for ensuring safety and regularity of movement in extreme conditions. It has evolved from manual labor and steam snowplows to a high-tech industry where powerful mechanics are combined with precise automation and preventive engineering. Success here depends on the triad: specialized equipment, pre-infrastructure protection, and impeccable logistics of winter work. This titanic, often "behind the scenes" work allows steel railways to remain the most reliable mode of transport in any, even the most severe winter.

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