Rail clearers

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The rail clearer can be seen on this locomotive below the buffer and coupling . Here he is also trained as a snow plow.

Schienenräumer or obstacle deflector are devices on rail vehicles , in the direction of travel before the first set of wheels are attached, and any on the rail or in the rail bed guessed foreign body spaces are set aside. The lower edge of the device is typically around 50 to 100 millimeters above the upper edge of the rail . Since the wheel diameter changes due to the wear and tear of the wheels, the height of the rail or railway scrapers must be adjustable. Rail clearers are used to prevent derailments and damage to the vehicle from impacts .

species

The types of construction of rail or rail clearers are different and mostly adapted to the railway line and the disturbing influences to be expected from the environment.

Rail clearers

In the simplest version, the function of the rail clearer is taken over by two vertical bars attached to the front of the locomotive , which reach down to just above the upper edge of the rail .

Track clearers

The current design is a metal sign in the form of a blunt wedge , which is attached in the middle of the front of the motor vehicle. This construction method is intended to ensure that foreign bodies are transported out of the track bed laterally and out of the guideway. The rail clearer is often combined with a snow clearer, with corresponding shovel or plow-like devices being mounted on the front of the locomotive. If a rail clearer is available to remove larger objects, the sand pipes or the sand pipe holders usually take over the function of the rail clearers.

Cow catcher

One of the most well-known types of track clearance is the typically far protruding cow catcher ("Cowcatcher", today in the USA called "Pilot") of American locomotives. Such a rail clearer was used for the first time on the American steam locomotive " John Bull ". The “Cowcatcher” was invented by Charles Babbage while working for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway .

  • The first cow catcher on the "John Bull"
  • Cowcatcher, schematic drawing
  • Cow catcher on a steam locomotive , built in 1863

Legal situation

This article or paragraph presents the situation in Germany . Help us to describe the situation in other countries.

Germany

In Germany, rail clearers for various rail vehicles are prescribed in relevant regulations:

§ 28 Equipment and Addresses

(1) Locomotives and other leading vehicles must have the following equipment: (...) 2. Lane clearers, (...)

Section 41 Railway clearers and rail clearers

(1) Vehicles must have lane or rail clearers in front of the first set of wheels in the direction of travel, which reduce the risk of derailment caused by obstacles. They must be arranged as close as possible to the wheels and as small as possible from the upper edge of the rail.

  • in the "Accident Prevention Regulations for Cranes" (BGV D 6)

Section 13 Rail clearers

(1) In the case of rail-bound cranes that travel on level ground, the trolleys must be equipped with rail clearers, unless the construction takes over their task.

Historic quote

"[...] 2) Every steam car traveling at an intended time must be equipped with a track clearing device, that is, with a frame that extends down onto the rails in front of the front wheels of the steam car, and any obstructing objects on the same are intended to be cleared away before the Wheels get to the same. "

- "Application approval for journeys in the dark" of the Berlin-Potsdam Railway , 1838

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Konradin media group : Bahnräumer . Online at [www.wissen.de]; accessed on April 20, 2020.
  2. ^ German Society for Railway History : Steam Locomotive Lexicon - Bahnräumer . Online at dlok.dgeg.de ; accessed on April 20, 2020
  3. ↑ Otto Lueger (Ed.): Lexicon of the entire technology , Volume 1, p. 491 f. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart 1904. Digitized
  4. ^ Anthony Hyman: Charles Babbage, Pioneer of the Computer, pp. 142f. Oxford University Press, 1982. ISBN 978-0-19-858170-3
  5. ^ Federal Office of Justice: Railway Building and Operating Regulations (EBO) - § 28 Equipment and addresses . Online at www.gesetze-im-internet.de ; accessed on April 20, 2020.
  6. ↑ Federal Office of Justice: Ordinance on the construction and operation of trams - § 41 Rail clearers and rail clearers . Online at www.gesetze-im-internet.de ; accessed on April 20, 2020.
  7. ↑ Norddeutsche Metall-Berufsgenossenschaft: BGV D 6 - Accident Prevention Regulations for Cranes (PDF; 187 kB). Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  8. ↑ Application approval for driving in the dark . Online at epilog.de ; accessed on April 20, 2020.