SnowProtec Brushes - Snow free switches for conventional and high speed tracks
Snow Protection with Brushes – the result of cooperation between OSBORN International and Banverket (Swedish National Rail Administration). During autumn 2002 a development project was initiated between OSBORN International and Banverket (Swedish National Rail Admini stration) in Gävle. The purpose was to develop a snow protection system for railway switches that could cope with high speed traffic and minimize the problem of drifting snow over the switches.
In close cooperation with Banverket, OSBORN designed a system based on robust lag brushes. The first test brushes were assembled in January 2003, and the original brushes are still in use! During these four years the design of the strap mountings, joint mountings; bolts and washers; etc have been adjusted finely in order to give the best possible effect.
The result has become a snow protection system that sets an entire new standard for simplicity, economy, and safety. SnowProtec Brushes meets the demands of operation and safety that Banverket requires and has thereby been introduced as standard of Banverket BVS 523.283.
"The new snow protections have increased the operation safety and simplified the snow clearance. I am positively surprised and very pleased", says Raimo Kajén, Track Engineer at Banverket in Gävle. "I have been working and evaluating the Snow Protection system since the first test brushes were assembled in 2003."
"From the beginning I was certainly sceptical to the technology, but after reviewing the evaluaton results taken over the last 3 years - I really can see the obvious benefits." Raimo tells us that he has had earlier experience of snow protection with cover principal. These other systems are also to a degree effective in retaining the heat from the pre-warmed switch which helps to increase the rate of snow melt, but they are not particularly good at protecting against drifting snow.
Indeed the problem actually becomes even worse with the sheets placed along the tracks. With SnowProtec Brushes the problems arising from drifting snow decrease substantially,resulting also in the reduced frequency of having to sweep the switches clear of snow.
"We have saved time and money", says Raimo. He also explains
that the installation of the SnowProtec system has been completely straight
forward. The brushes were delivered in 3 metre sections that were easily
assembled on
site.
When the system is positioned in place there is absolutely no need to dismantle the brushes because of impending snow sweeping or track inspections. The brushes can be left in situ all year-around, and do not require servicing or general maintenance. Only occasionally might there be a need to check that brushes have not become loose.
The most important key issue is of course, operational safety, and Raimo can confirm that it has been considerably improved with SnowProtec Brushes.
"We have had fewer stoppages due switch problems where we have used filament brushes as snow protection."
