PLASMA TORCH

BRITISH RAILWAYS (BR) HAS EXPERIMENTED WITH A WIDE RANGE OF RAIL-ADHESION DEVICES. THE RESULT IS THE PLASMA TORCH WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A POWERFUL BLOW-LAMP WHICH RAISES THE TEMPERATURE OF RAIL SURFACES TO AROUND 200 DEG C, CAUSING REMOVAL OF SURFACE CONTAMINANTS. EXTENSIVE TRAILS SHOW THAT IT INCREASES FRICTION WITHOUT DAMAGING THE RAILS. TESTS SO FAR HAVE COVERED ALL SPEEDS UP TO 30 MPH--THE PROBLEM RANGE OF FREIGHT TRAINS DURING STARTING. BR CLAIMS THE TORCH RESULTS IN SUBSTANTIAL OPERATING ECONOMIES. /IRJ/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07445326
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 11, No 11, P 42, 1 PHOT
• Publication Date: 1971-11

Media Info

• Serial:
  • International Railway Journal
  • Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
  • ISSN: 0744-5326

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adhesion; Contaminants; Railroad tracks; Surface treating
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217178
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1972 12:00AM