Railroads that run tracks through deserts I’m sure have to deal with sand and sandstorms. I could imagine that a storm could cover the tracks with sand just like a snow storm can. What about sand in the switches and other equipment along the ROW. Has TRAINS mag ever had an article on this subject?
I believe the article in Trains on the new Dubai Light Rail system has some information on this. Snow and ice can be melted, not sand. Pushing the stuff off open tracks isn’t much different than snow, but switch points and frogs do required careful sweeping out.
I remember seeing a post WWII video of SP operations. One of the scenes was from the “Sunset” line and the affects of blowing sand and the railroad. Sectionmen would shovel the sand from the tracks and switches. In addition, mention was made of the blowing sand across the rails. You might find the video on “You Tube”
Ed Burns
When we were coming home from California on the Sunset three months ago, our first loss of schedule occurred when we could not stop at the station in Palm Springs because the siding (that has the station platform) was clogged with sand. We had to go on to Indio (not a regular stop) and wait for buses to bring the Palm Springs passengers to us. There must have been sand on the Interstates as well, because I believe we were in Indio for three hours, waiting for everyone to get caught up. I ranted about it at the time, so I won’t do it again.
I’ve seen pictures in various places, mostly of the Dust Bowl era, showing snowplows pushing sand off the tracks.
…It’s the science of placing sand fences, wind breaks or other barriers. If you succeed in managing the problem. It’s not only sand, but blow dirt and loess that makes life miserable for the roadmaster and his troops. The former SP Mina Branch is a beta test site for much of the sand fence technology being tried today. I struggled with blow dirt in the Oklahoma Panhandle and SE Colorado for years trying to keep dust bowl conditions in check around dryland farming operations. Once that stuff got wet, it was like walking in congealled grease.
About 25 years ago, when Amtrak was still running the Desert Wind between SLC and LA, I remember seeing in the Mojove Desert, long lines of drip irrigated tree “fences” along the tracks. Looking at Google Earth, I see they are still there. 35° 2’43.98"N 116° 7’2.44"W
Hmmmmm … somebody look back at the K.P.Harrier ‘doubletracking the Sunset Route’ thread; didn’t they take some of the ‘green tunnel’ fencing out recently when doing work in the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area – ISTR seeing pictures around the Ramon Road overpass area.
What does sand and dust do to ballast and track stability ?
Eliminates drainage paths for what water does come.
The following link is to a Railway Gazette photo of a Saudi Arabian Railways diesel; not the very large air filter on it. Photo linked @ http://www.railwaygazette.com/uploads/pics/tn_sa-northsouth-sd70acs-emd_06.jpg
A view of the other side of a similar sand filter installation for desert operaions @ http://www.arabianindustry.com/static/content/images/larger1/40074-377000.jpg
While similarly, an older ‘GP’ style Diesel fitted with oversized air filter for desert operations in a ‘Rail Pictures’ photo. Photo linked @ http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/4/2/8/2428.1301970736.jpg
I’ve always thought that the current Amtrak platform location was irresponsible and just plain insane - surrounded by dunes, adjacent to Nothing with no connecting transportation available. The former SP station was even more removed from town further to the west. Perhaps someone knows the rest of the story as to why locating closer to Indio or Palm Springs wasn’t done.
BTW many sections of the Yuma and Cima subs have windbreaks of non-native Tamarisk trees. Turns out this is a ecological disaster as they use way too much water and even prevent other vegetation from growing nearby.
…Creating rough track when the water and fines (sand/clay/silt) heave unevenly. The ballast is supposed to have voids to pass water through and away from the track. Can’t do this when the voids are choked full of fines and can no longer drain.
This is also the source of the rub between track forces and the trainmen. Track department loves the 1.5" to 3.5" rock ballast because it has bigger voids and can pass water through much longer before it plugs-up. Trainmen hate walking in it and want the smaller 1.5" to 3/4" or smaller stuff found in yards that won’t drain worth crap. It’s all gap-graded material…the bigger stuff just manages to work longer in a drainage sense.
It isn’t such a new idea. Are there any pictures available of the Baldwin road switchers built for the French Supply Council, some of which were equipped with Rotoclone filters for desert operation?
Reminds me of seeing old cement cross ties partially buried in the desert sand on the Atlantic coast near Swakopmund, Namibia from the German colonial days 100 years ago.
I don’t know when that particular line was abandoned, but there are many houses, fences, etc. half-buried under the sand in that region, due to the constantly-shifting dunes. It could possibly have been a streetcar line connecting communities between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
Fortunately, most of the areas with blowing sand - deserts - tend to be pretty dry most of the time. So, having the ballast fouled (plugged up) with sand is not quite so problematic as it would be in other areas with more frequent rainfalls, where the sandy ballast would turn to goop and/ or lead to a loss of track strength more often and more rapidly.
- Paul North.
- In Namibia the railroads (Cape Gauge / 3ft6inches) have to deal with a lot of sand specially in the Namib Desert. The rail line between Aus and the old German colonial coastal port of Luderitz is being brought back into service after 17 years. In parts they are useing Tubular Track because of the constantly moving sand. Google Luderitz Railway Line for more images and information on the Tubular Track System
Did I feel my ears twitch? (See Wizlish post, 8-21)
A westward view near Palm Springs, CA of those many trees UP (SP) uses to battle sandstorms in the very desert area that the Sunset Route passes through. The line was being two-tracked at the time.
At Rimlon just a number of miles from the above:
More Rimlon area views taken a few years later, after a new overpass bridge allowed better views:
From the old bridge, looking east:
The Palm Springs-Rimlon area of the Lower Desert of Southern California is notorious for sandstorms. K.P. has never been in one of those situations in the Lower Desert, but he has heard horror stories about them. Massive pileups occur on the nearby I-10 Freeway, and autos have to be repainted be
[quote user=“K. P. Harrier”]
Did I feel my ears twitch? (See Wizlish post, 8-21)
A westward view near Palm Springs, CA of those many trees UP (SP) uses to battle sandstorms in the very desert area that the Sunset Route passes through. The line was being two-tracked at the time.
At Rimlon just a number of miles from the above:
More Rimlon area views taken a few years later, after a new overpass bridge allowed better views:
From the old bridge, looking east:
The Palm Springs-Rimlon area of the Lower Desert of Southern California is not
Railroads in snow country used to use miles of snow fence. It didn’t always do any good. A lot of those lines have had enough natural growth to mitigate much of the problem.
Natural cover (ie, trees, bushes) almost always does more good than snow fence.
I would opine that many areas with a sand problem are relatively flat - as opposed to the deep cuts necessary in the hilly east, where cuts filling to the top with blowing snow was/is a regular problem.