# trains in snow **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 8, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111 "2004-02-08T11:40:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/1 "2004-02-08T11:40:24Z")
Pardon my ignorance, but how do trains operate in heavy snow? That is, if there are several feet of snow already piled up on the tracks, do the trains just trudge through it, or what? Do they equip trains with a sort of plow, so they can effectively clear their own path? Just wondering, as yesterday I drove by a set of seldom-used (but still active) train tracks, and with the natural accumulation, plus another several feet of snow deposited by snow plows clearing roads for cars, I have no idea how the trains will get by. Or do they just not run trains during the winter? I find that had to believe. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tom\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_P)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/2 "2004-02-08T11:55:29Z")
This is a common problem here in Norway, and it’s solved by putting, as you guessed, a special plow on the train. I found a website with several pictures from 1957 and onward [here](http://www.jernbane.net/norge/el/el13/el13.htm). [This photo](http://www.jernbane.net/norge/el/el13/13-snoe_03.jpg) (from 1967) shows a train with the plow in motion. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/3 "2004-02-08T12:05:05Z")
I’m from a warm climate, but I _am_ a railfan / gunzel / train nerd, so I’ll have a go at this question. Various [types](http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~terjek/rail/graphics/el132158_1.jpg)[of](http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~terjek/rail/graphics/damprot1_1xv.gif) [snow](http://www.gregschollvideo.com/images/snowplow2.jpg)[plow](http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips7/snow_plow_tips.html) are used. For small amounts of snow, I believe the trains just power through it. As with water flooding, steam locomotives tend to be the most effective in extreme conditions (they can handle floosing up to the footplate [firebox level], unlike diesel-electric and electric which can be knocked out by a few inches of water or snow). For large amounts, compacted snow could be a derailment risk, so prior removal with a plow is necessary. The main problem is wheelslip (if you think driving in snow is bad, try steel wheels on rail). Locomotives drop sand on the rail ahead of the driving wheels to overcome this. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/4 "2004-02-08T12:06:35Z")
They can handle _flooding_ as well as floosing. Floosing is more fun though. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/5 "2004-02-08T12:22:51Z")
[Rotary snow plows](http://railfame.ca/2002/honour/rotary-plow) were (and still are, I believe) used in extreme conditions. The main advantage is that it doesn’t build up a wall of snow next to the track like a normal plow. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/6 "2004-02-08T15:04:41Z")
Although there is not the situation of heavy snow in the UK, sanding is done whenever the tracks are icy enough to lose grip. It’s carried on board the train and controlled by the driver. I’ve only ever seen plows in the US, and typically a special plow train is run through first, rather than having anything on the front of the main engine. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/7 "2004-02-08T15:17:26Z")
My dad was an assembler at the GE plant in Erie, PA, one of his jobs was to put snow plows on the locomotives. In some parts of the country a huge snowblower is sometimes mounted on special trains. [http://www.n6ecv.net/Rotarys.html](http://www.n6ecv.net/Rotarys.html) ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/8 "2004-02-08T15:30:23Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > [Rotary snow plows](http://railfame.ca/2002/honour/rotary-plow) were (and still are, I believe) used in extreme conditions. The main advantage is that it doesn’t build up a wall of snow next to the track like a normal plow. Well, plus the fact that from a safe distance they are just amazingly cool to see in action. From an unsafe distance… well, you wouldn’t see much 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trains-in-snow/228111/9 "2004-02-08T16:35:39Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > Although there is not the situation of heavy snow in the UK, sanding is done whenever the tracks are icy enough to lose grip. It’s carried on board the train and controlled by the driver. > > I’ve only ever seen plows in the US, and typically a special plow train is run through first, rather than having anything on the front of the main engine. There are certainly snow ploughs on British railways…IIRC I saw one in a siding at Colchester, where I believe it’s stationed. The problem is the same as British roads, that one or two inches of snow can easily form a drift of several feet when there’s few obstructions in the way, as is the case with large stretches of track across farmland.