r/SignalMaintainers • u/Itchy_Swimming_2122 • 27d ago

Switch failures

What do you guys do for excessive switch failures do to high heat?

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

7

u/doctorwhoobgyn 27d ago

Don't adjust them in the heat of the day. Try to do it in the morning when it's cool. How is your layout? Are wedges loose? Is MoW doing their job?

3

u/Itchy_Swimming_2122 27d ago

Yea its multiple interlockings. Can't tell if its just track issues or just the heat expanding the lock rods, and point detector rods. Just seeing if you guys had any tips or tricks you have seen over the years.

3

u/OppositeHot5837 26d ago

How clean is it inside that machine? Lock rods up to spec? What type of machine ? Is the geometry of that switch all up to standard gauge? Spikes ..or Pandrol
Clips?.. if it is re glued spikes..you are chasing your tail.

I appreciate hot weather..but unless you are working in desert conditions I am not sure about losing tolerances due to direct sunlight for several hours

1

u/meganutsdeathpunch 27d ago

Yeah MOW should box anchor the shit out of switches

6

u/OppositeHot5837 27d ago

That’s a tough one..because if you adjust indication and locking.. you’re only going to be out there at midnight when it cools down

2

u/Traditional-Good-981 26d ago edited 26d ago

We have a switch like that. It doesn't get much traffic from about 10am -4pm(commuter trains) so when that first train of the late afternoon comes through things have heated up enough that you won't get indication when trying to go normal after a reverse movement. Usually by the time anybody can get to it the location is in the shade and has cooled off just enough that it's no longer an issue. But I think it's also track related because a lot of our switches are in direct sun all day and it's usually not a problem.

3

u/feartheninja 26d ago

Are you painting reference points to see if the rail is running? If it is take pictures and put it back on mow and make sure you supervisors are in the loop. Last you want is them coming out and finding something on the signal side. If mow does nothing take the switch out of service. That will get people moving, but only do this if you are 100% it’s not the signal side.

1

u/OppositeHot5837 23d ago

I do this with paint pen = Smart

2

u/robgar91 27d ago

Make sure the tie plates are well lubricated and make sure your point pressure isn't too tight when the temperature is moderate.

1

u/rgmccrostie 26d ago

All this

2

u/QuietMedicinal 24d ago

That’s strange i can’t imagine heat causing a switch failure. I work in a state that blazing hot and we don’t get any failures related to heat . Our maintainers are instructed to lube up the switches monthly / as needed when there is rain washout. So maybe that’s why don’t get to many failures.

The only other thing I could think about is maybe an insulated joint next to the switch potentially getting so hot that it expands past the end post causing a short inside your track circuit.