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July 2025
Compiled by Michael Popke
Since 1995, ARVA Industries has offered a range of rail maintenance solutions for North American transit systems. The company specializes in powered and non-powered work cars for a variety of needs, including snow clearing, Arva officials said in an email.
The ARVA Track Utility Vehicle (TUV) can be outfitted with a variety of options, including snow removal plows, snow blowers, a third-rail snow brush, a third-rail de-icing application and high-pressure spray for leaf residue removal to eliminate wheel slippage when leaves are crushed on the top of the rail.
The TUV is powered by a 24-volt, 380-horsepower Cummins QSL9 engine with hydrostatic drive, and it travels up to 40 mph with a 220-gallon fuel capacity. Single- or dual-cab units are available; the TUV can seat up to four crew members in each cab.
The winter months can present challenges that negatively affect the performance of signaling systems, from vital train detection to triggering essential non-vital systems such as AEI readers and hot box detectors, Frauscher Sensor Technology USA Inc. officials said. Snow and ice, cold temperatures and road salting also can decrease the reliability, uptime and safety of train detection systems.
Frauscher’s axle counting systems are unaffected by snow, ice, extreme temperatures (as low as –40 F) and road salt, company officials said. Inductive IP68-rated wheel sensors are waterproof and dust proof, with proper functioning not reliant on shunting, they added.
The sensors run reliably even where track and ballast conditions have deteriorated, as well as in the most severe winter conditions. The required maintenance cycle is once every two years and can be scheduled to avoid the winter season.
Additionally, the axle counters are compatible with signaling equipment such as track circuits, meaning operators can incorporate them in areas particularly prone to winter conditions and provide spot fixes as needed, company officials said.
When paired with the Geismar 360 Road/Rail Loader, the MTM-CAB-2 blower delivers airflow velocities exceeding 220 mph, making it ideal for clearing snow, leaves, water, dirt and debris from switches and adjacent tracks, company officials said.
With a 21-foot reach from center in all directions, the MTM-CAB-2 also enables comprehensive cleaning without the need to reposition equipment or leave the track, they said.
The blower uses the Geismar 360’s standard hydraulic system and controls; no additional power source is required. The quick-attach mechanism, using two pins and quick-disconnect hoses, supports fast installation and removal, enabling flexible field deployment.
The MTM-CAB-2 reflects a broader industry shift toward modular, high-performance maintenance tools that improve responsiveness to weather and environmental challenges, Geismar officials said.
Hotstart auxiliary power units (APU) and shore power engine heaters are designed for use when a locomotive is idling in a yard or at a remote location. The systems help maintain the prime mover fluids at optimal operating temperatures during cold weather conditions, as well as charge locomotive batteries.
Installing Hotstart systems as an aftermarket retrofit reduces unnecessary locomotive idling, resulting in increased fuel savings and reduced wear-and-tear on engine components, company officials said. Additionally, keeping locomotives warm with Hotstart systems eliminates issues such as wet stacking and reduces automatic engine stop-start-related restarts.
The APU runs on diesel fuel sourced from the locomotive, allowing it to be utilized remotely while consuming an average of 0.5 gallons per hour.
Shore power systems use existing yard electricity, eliminating the need for diesel fuel during idle periods. Simple yet robust, the electric systems have minimal maintenance requirements, company officials said. A range of configurations and heat outputs are available.
SmartWay-verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hotstart’s idle reduction equipment also can help railroads upgrade locomotives from Tier 0 to Tier 0+ standards, company officials said.
Hot Switch Heating Systems’ solutions are designed to keep rail networks running smoothly in the harshest conditions, company officials said.
The systems are engineered specifically for rail switch applications and have been tested in some of North America’s coldest regions. Hot Switch uses induction heating to deliver rapid, even and energy-efficient heat directly to the switch rail.
Unlike systems that rely on open-flame gas or electric resistance, induction technology offers safer operation with faster response times and minimal heat loss, company officials said. The result is increased switch availability, reduced maintenance demands and significant energy savings, they added.
The modular design of the Hot Switch system simplifies installation and maintenance, while remote monitoring capabilities provide real-time performance data and fault alerts.
The Knox Kershaw KSF940 Snow Fighter offers a 50,000-pound working weight and features a redesigned cab with a second operator seat, cold-weather heaters and a suite of specialized attachments that include heavy-duty wings, a plow and a snow broom.
Designed to handle deep snow, the unit’s large curl kits and high-capacity snow wings clear paths up to 16 feet from the track’s center; the snow switch cleaner launches snow over 20 feet away, company officials said. The KSF940 can be used year-round and can be converted to a ballast regulator or brush cutter for warm-weather uses.
Powering the KSF940 is a 24-volt Cummins Tier 4 QSB6.7 engine delivering 260 horsepower, paired with a Funk double-pump drive system that integrates hydrostatic and vane pumps to operate propulsion, broom and control systems.
A hydraulically tilting cab offers joystick controls, a mechanical suspension seat with swivel base, climate control via a wall-mounted hydraulic-driven AC and pressurizer, and complete sound insulation. Other features include green-tinted vented windows, LED perimeter and work lighting, electric wipers, air horns, and heated west-coast and rearview mirrors.
The Pettibone Speed Swing 445F2 offers an array of attachments for rail maintenance-of-way tasks, including snow removal.
For heavy-duty winter work, a standard Speed Swing can be fitted with snow buckets and adjustable V-plows. A sweeper broom can be used to brush snow from switches, while a track-cleaning bucket removes snow from the rails using notches that glide over each track as the bucket moves forward.
The 445F2 reaches speeds up to 25 mph for hi-rail uses and 20 mph with all-terrain rubber tires. The company also offers programmable diesel heating systems that warm the engine, hydraulics and cab interior ahead of time.
One of the most pressing winter challenges locomotive operators encounter is the need to idle locomotives in cold weather to avoid engine freeze-ups. The patented PowerHouse™ Hybrid from Power Drives Inc. is the newest model in the company’s idle reduction/fuel savings technology lineup.
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Smartway-verified technology, the system heats engine oil and circulates heated coolant through the locomotive engine block and cooling system to maintain a fluid temperature above 100 F, allowing operators to eliminate idling in cold weather. Idling locomotives use between five and eight gallons of fuel per hour, while the PowerHouse uses 0.38 gallons per hour, company officials said.
The PowerHouse Hybrid model eliminates the need for shore power or an additional engine as a power source. The unit is powered?directly from the locomotive battery bank and can run?off the locomotive batteries for up to?seven?days?without starting the engine, company officials said. The Hybrid can be plugged into an external?120-volt power source and operates while charging the locomotive batteries.??
Customers have met their return on investment in as few as three months; typical usage savings exceed 10,000 gallons of fuel in one season, company officials said.
Railway Equipment Co.’s (RECO) advanced track switch heaters and remote monitoring systems are designed to ensure reliability during harsh winter conditions. The systems enable operators to troubleshoot remotely.
The company offers “an industry-first” redundant switch heater that operates on both natural gas/propane and electric, RECO officials said. Tested successfully in two locations last winter, the combination unit is designed to optimize efficiency and fuel use in remote areas.
Additionally, the GHAB Concentrator enables real-time monitoring of up to 12 switch heaters from a central office, providing critical status updates to enhance winter preparedness.
The company also is developing additional monitoring systems and eco-friendly solutions, including an induction heating system set for testing this winter, RECO officials said.
For more than 40 years, ThermOmegaTech® has designed and manufactured thermostatic valves and actuators that protect rail systems from freezing temperatures. Since 1983, it has offered the GURU® Plug, a self-actuating valve designed to protect locomotives from freeze damage.
The GURU DL2.1 Plug protects the diesel locomotives’ water-cooling systems from freezing when the engine is off and continuously monitors the cooling system’s temperature, snapping open to rapidly drain the system when the water temperature reaches the valve’s set point.
For passenger cars, the?GURU PC® valve?protects water systems that supply toilets and galleys from freezing when the car’s heat is turned off during a layover or locomotive switch. The valve responds to ambient temperatures, automatically opening to drain the water tanks if the external temperature drops to the valve’s set point, company officials said.
Once power and heat are restored to the rail car, the valve closes, allowing the tanks to be refilled before the car returns to service.
ThermOmegaTech valves are entirely mechanical and require no electricity. They also are NSF 61/372 certified.
Thermon’s snow-clearing devices are designed to withstand the harshest winter storms. A variety of options, such as electric elements, hot air blowers and high-velocity ambient air blowers, are available.
The snow-clearing devices are also designed with safety, efficiency and quality in mind; they require less maintenance and offer decreased downtime, company officials said.
“We continue to work closely with railroads to exceed their expectations and keep costs down while delivering steadfast products consistently,” they said.
Thermon also is working on the next generation of its Hellfire gas-fired, forced-air switch heaters, with trials expected to take place later this year, company officials said. The next-gen units will feature updated components, expanded communication capabilities, and OLED character display and organized status LEDs.
ZTR’s KickStart and SmartStart technologies are designed with harsh winter preparedness in mind.
KickStart is a locomotive starting assist solution that uses supercapacitors and proprietary Bus Boost technology to deliver immediate supplemental power during engine cranking, company officials said. It is designed to mitigate voltage dips, reduce starter motor stress and ensure consistent starts in extreme cold. The Battery and Starting Manager variant also includes intelligent battery management, optimizing charge cycles and extending battery life.
Complementing KickStart is SmartStart, an automatic engine stop-start system that monitors ambient temperature, battery voltage, coolant temperature, brake pressure and more to automatically shut down or restart the engine. The result: SmartStart keeps locomotives ready for service, prevents freeze-ups, reduces fuel use and improves cold-weather reliability, company officials said.
Together, the technologies are designed to provide a reliable, proactive winter operations strategy. KickStart kicks in when a locomotive needs to start in extreme cold, delivering the supplemental power needed to overcome weak batteries.
Once running, SmartStart manages idling intelligently, shutting down the engine when conditions allow and restarting it before critical thresholds are reached, company officials said. Their performance can be monitored and reviewed through ZTR’s Vision platform, which provides real-time visibility into asset readiness and idling trends.
Michael Popke is a Madison, Wisconsin-based freelance writer. Email comments or questions to prograil@tradepress.com.
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