FIGHTING SNOW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1941, Page 4

FIGHTING SNOW

OPERATIONS ON CANADIAN RAILWAYS. .

KEEPING THE LINES CLEAR. MONTREAL (Quebec). Throughout the summer months,

Canadian railways make thorough inspection and overhaul of their snow fighting equipment, so that snow storms early in the fall will not tie up railway traffic to any considerable extent for want of snow clearing appara-. tus. Several types of snow-ploughs have been placed at, or are on their way to, key points throughout the railway systems awaiting Old Man Winter with his usual variety of blizzards. < Rocky Mountain territory and valleys in the Maritimes present the most difficult problems for removing drifted snow, but this task is done with heavy rotary ploughs which cut their way through and shoot the snow over the top of high banks. ' Through flat terrain,, single track lines are kept clear of snow by use of wedge ploughs and single track wing type ploughs with drop, nose or point, throwing the snow to both sides. The double track lines employ the double track wing type ploughs with drop nose which throws the snow to one side at a time, having to make a return trip for the other line. The men operating, the wing type drop nose ploughs have to know every detail of the line which they are clearing so as to bring up the drop the right time for crossings,' switches and bridges, and to draw‘in the wing’s when passing switches or going through bridges. The wings and drop nose are operated by air pressure. When snow and ice forms between the rails, flangers are used to scrape it out. If snow-ploughs in the territory are not equipped with flangers, special cars are available with the flanger arrangement.

The year 1923 presented the toughest winter in which to keep lines clear of snow, followed by 1926. However, old-time railroaders claim that 1905 had the heaviest snowfall in Canadian railroading history.