In the news wire for Monday Jan 5 “Snow storm closes Donner Pass” it states that a “Flangfer” was used to clear the tracks. I assume a flanger is a snow plow but being from the south I have never seen the word used in this connection. Can anyone clue me in? The actual mechanics of the machine, how did the name originate? etc.
I’m sure one of the old heads will do it better… but, basically, a flanger is a snow plow (or, rather often, a blade on a snowplow) which fits between the rails and is intended to remove the snow from between the rails, allowing the wheel flanges to pass easily. You hope. You are supposed to lift it at rail crossings and switches!
Jamie hit it pretty square. [:)]
Unlike a snowplow, whose apparatus is right out front for all to see, a flanger appears to be more like a caboose, frequently without a cupola or bay windows. The flanger blades (they often have two, one for each direction) are under the body of the car, sort of like a road grader. As Jamie mentioned, they fit between the rails, or actually, are notched out for the rails. Which is why they have to be raised for anything that is permanently installed between the tracks, like crossings, guard rails, and switches.
Check out some pictures here: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/plow4.html
You may notice in the vicinity of a crossing a pole with what looks like a semaphore blade. They’re usually pretty rusty or otherwise in poor shape. Those are indicators to the operator of the flanger that the blade needs to be raised. You’ll have to hear from a “real” northern railroader what the consequences of not raising the blade would be. I doubt the brass hats would be happy.[:(!]
There is often some sort of flag device on top of the flanger to show whether the blade is up or down.
If memory serves me correctly, flangers are usually pulled, rather than pushed. But, I could be wrong. It’s happened before…
Flangers which were pulled by a locomotive are dying out. They have been replaced by the Jordan Spreader which has the movable plow mounted up front of the front trucks and larger wings with better articulation and hydraulics…makes a CAT D-9 look like a pup. What was up on Donner was in fact a Jordan Spreader.
Jordan Spreader …now a Harsco Jackson/Jordan/Tamper/Speno product (Jackson, MI)
Flangers and Jordan spreaders are two different beasts. A flanger, as mentioned above, cleans the snow and ice from the inside of the rails while a Jordan spreader is a maintenance-of-way machine which moonlights in snowfighting service. A plow is fitted to the nose of the spreader and the wings can clear the snow well past the edge of the ballast, often from adjacent tracks. In maintenance-of-way service, the wings are used to spread and grade the ballast and subgrade.
Jordan spreaders were (are?) built by the O F Jordan Co. of East Chicago IN.
The"Bear" might have to call out the rotarie plows sometime too.Ive seen pics of them in action.what a show.
stay safe
Joe
Hey Larry, you nailed it right on the head!!! [:D] I used to assemble the consists for the flangers at the Roseville Loco shop. We would put together 2 sets so they could rotate them out. [8D]
And as for Mudhen[swg], the flangers will be around a long time on Donner Summit.[:D] Here is the order of use for snow equip. on the summit. 1) flangers, 2) spreaders, 3) rotories. That is also the order of cost of operation too.
A couple of points not made. When snow starts to melt, it expands. If the snow between the rail is packed in, it will cause the rails to spread and then the next trrain will literally fall between the rails an make a big heap of scrap metal. The flanger removes that snow.
And as Mudchicken says, a Jordan Spreader has a plow on its nose that can be raised or lowered and will fit between the rails and do the flangers job for it. However, a spreader can do its job at 50 or 60 MPH. A spreader, depending on its configuration or what it is plowing, 5 or maybe 10 MPH. I’ve seen them pulled at Column 1 speeds with the blades adjusted to just barely clear the crossings and the wind turbulance would clear the rails right down to the ballast. Impressive!
And if the blades hit a crossing? That is when you will find out how many pieces went into the flangers construction, because it will be in that many pieces.