Metro North & NYC Transit Track Snow Removal

[x635 4,066]

Last month, I read an article in "Trains" magazine about snow removal mostly on freight tracks in some of the more snow prone areas of the country.

With all these cancelled and stuck trains, I wonder, what does Metro North and NYC Transit do to clear trackage of snow and ice? Do they have a snowthrower or other type of snow removal train?

How do they do it?

[Anthony Tester 13]

NYCT uses specially built train snow throwers and turbine powered snow blowers. Very effective, but the high winds (and probably the rate the snow came down) caused some serious issues throughout. Below are some pictures of some of the equipment.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Anthony Tester

[PFDRes47cue 653]

NYCT uses specially built train snow throwers and turbine powered snow blowers. Very effective, but the high winds (and probably the rate the snow came down) caused some serious issues throughout. Below are some pictures of some of the equipment.

Interesting equipment.

[osufire90 18]

what are those pieces of equipment on the first track. Are they designed to melt the snow off the tracks, or are they giant blowing devices?

[LTFIREPRG 154]

what are those pieces of equipment on the first track. Are they designed to melt the snow off the tracks, or are they giant blowing devices?

They are blowers. The ones on the track next to them are sweepers. We also have snow throwers, see the attached photos.

[JackEMT 77]

Here is on of Boston's jet blowers at work (I assume MBTA, but don't know).

You might want to turn down the volume on your computer, this is very loud!

[helicopper 1,050]

what are those pieces of equipment on the first track. Are they designed to melt the snow off the tracks, or are they giant blowing devices?

The devices on the left side of the picture (darker yellow) are turbine powered melters. It's essentially a jet engine with the exhaust venting forward to melt snow and ice. The exhaust on one of those is in the area of 900-1000 degrees F so it will do some serious melting.

I believe NASCAR employs similar devices to dry race tracks after it rains.

[ja3kfd 34]

I was working in Bedford Hills doing snow removal Monday night and saw something similar to the youtube posted above, it was longer than that blower and it was able to direct the tube and blow off the track and third rail. It was the first time I had seen anything like it.

[JBE 328]

Took Metro North yesterday, not a bad ride at all. NJ Transit was a good ride as well. I think for the most part, they did a pretty good job.

[mikeinet 37]

nice article on the efforts: http://mta.info/news/stories/?story=168