European Railroad Discussion > Keeping lines clear

Network Rail's (NR) answer to the scourge of autumnal leaf fall is a squadron of Railhead Treatment Trains (RHTT) which patrol the network at critical points from the beginning of October to, normally, the beginning of December. South of London NR usually use their fleet of Windhoff built Multi Purpose Vehicles (MPVs), which are in effect a multiple unit with carrying capability. But elsewhere the contracts are operated by the Freight Operating Companies on behalf of NR, this is the 3J01 which runs daily from Willesden in North West London to Macclesfield, some 150+ miles to the NW, spraying the West Coast Mainline and is in the hands of DBS. Today the two locomotives, 66040 and 66232, are urgently in need of a good clean, which they should get once the season is over in the next week or two. The pair and the flats carrying the tanks and high pressure spraying gear are passing a southbound Pendolino at Cow Roast on the WCML between Tring and Berkhamsted.

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Cool picture as usual!

What are they spraying? Just water?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/12 10:33 by McKey.

McKey Wrote:
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> What are they spraying? Just water?

Primarily water, not sure whether it contains any additives to prevent freezing.

Somehow it looks oily, but could not be that stuff...

McKey Wrote:
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> Somehow it looks oily

I think that would defeat the purpose :-)

I was under the impression that they clean the rail head using water and then apply Sandite (an explanation is on that well know encyclopedia site that we all maintain).

I saw these two at Stafford on Friday. They were speeding through platform 5, too fast to be applying Sandite, which carries a max speed of 45 mph.

Clear? It's spotless.

That is a startlingly clean four-track railway! I don't see a single leaf in the whole photo!

HRGXguy,
I've seen model railroads that look messier than that.....