Flangers - WP/UP vs. SP/UP
Author: Jon
Date: 01-05-2009 - 08:32
SP/UP has used flangers for decades on the lines through the Cascades and over the Sierra Nevada.
For the most part, neighboring WP/UP on the Feather River Route hasn't had the need to run flangers over that line due in-part to lower elevations, but the Highline, today's BNSF Gateway Sub, can also receive some pretty deep snow especially through the Westwood, Almanor, and Lodgepole areas. Usually just a spreader or plow has been used, except for the early '90's when UP was forced into using their rotary on the ex-WP lines. As far as I know, flangers have never been used on the the ex-WP lines.
Do any of you MoW types have an answer as to why there doesn't seem to be a need to use flangers on the ex-WP Highline, today's Gateway Sub? Almost always the snow is the same "Cascade Cement" consistency that is found throughout the Cascades and over the Sierra Nevada.