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The guard up there collects typical snow and ice, which can remain until it melts. (Birds or twigs can't mess up the rails, either.) In a heavy winter storm, a little snow or ice will try to collect above the lower rail, but the customary practice of running a train every half-hour during the night can keep the rail clear. Decades of experience prove that ice can't degrade the steel-wheel-to-rail interface, even on a considerable grade; it just cracks away and leaves the railhead extra clean. Expected result: service as always during storms with virtually no maintenance personnel needed.
The guard up there collects typical snow and ice, which can remain until it melts. (Birds or twigs can't mess up the rails, either.) In a heavy winter storm, a little snow or ice will try to collect above the lower rail, but the customary practice of running a train every half-hour during the night can keep the rail clear. Decades of experience prove that ice can't degrade the steel-wheel-to-rail interface, even on a considerable grade; it just cracks away and leaves the railhead extra clean. Expected result: service as always during storms with virtually no maintenance personnel needed.
