| Posted by Dana M. on January 11, 2016 | |
First off - Ryan, I hope you warmed up quickly after catching this photo. My hat is off to you for braving the cold and snow to take this one. Second part - Can anyone answer my question about WHY the railroads always pull a flanger (snow shovel) behind the locomotives when they are trying to clear the snow from between the rails? I would think that the snow you are trying to clear would be attacked by pushing the flanger (snow shovel) in front of the locomotives instead of dragging it behind. Wouldn't the snow they are trying to clear cause the locomotives to act sluggish and slip on the snow they want to clear as it gets under the wheels and gets packed down? I'm sure someone will probably bring up a weight issue and the possibility of the flanger derailing or something - but I could never figure out why they always drag a flanger (snow shovel) behind them when the best way to use any "shovel" is in front of you! That would be like someone trying to clear their driveway of snow by walking backward in the snow and shoveling, it doesn't make sense to me.
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| Posted by ISA on January 11, 2016 | |
What is the purpose of that frame on the roof? Breaking ice whats hanging over the tunnel entrenches?
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Beautiful Pic !!!
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| Posted by Dana M. on January 11, 2016 | |
ISA - That bracket on the roof of the cab is exactly for that purpose. It breaks ice off at the entrance and exits of tunnels - as well as inside the tunnels. Icicles at the entrance or even inside (from melting water seeping in) a mountain tunnel can be quite large, long, and thick. So thick that one could shatter the windshield of a locomotive or do some damage to a headlight. So the Southern Pacific equipped these locomotives with that bracket to shatter / break the icicles that accumulate in and around the tunnels of Donner Pass - where this train is operating.
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