(rshsdepot) Re: Leaves on the track

["Alexander D. Mitchell IV" <LNER4472_@_bcpl.net>]

Although it sounds farcical, it is actually a serious problem in many areas, 
including many portions of Britain.  The problem began to manifest itself 
much more when many diesel multiple-unit cars were built with disc brakes 
rather than the old-fashioned wheel tread brakes.  The tread brakes 
apparently scraped/burned off enough of the leaf slime to reduce the 
severity of the problem, but the disc brakes resulted in either stalls on 
grades or sliding through station stops.  The British eventually developed a 
solution in the form of "Sandite" trains, which scrubbed rails on 
susceptible rail lines and laid down a traction-abetting gel.

More at:
http://www.centraltrains.co.uk/_popups/news/news_detail.asp?id=20051013172618-117
http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/content.php?nID=44 (scroll to the bottom)

Alexander D. Mitchell IV 


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railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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