Sleet problems on electrified railroads

Sleet storms, or more properly ice storms, have always presented serious difficulties to the operators of overhead electric conductors of all classes. For more than 25 years some electric-power companies have been using the circulation of electric current to heat the conductors, either to melt off the ice or to prevent it from forming. The technique of such procedure is well-known and will not be dealt with in this paper, other than to present fundamental theoretical data. Electrified railroads operating with overhead contact systems have similar ice storm problems, and, in addition, a number of special problems caused by such ice. These problems are outlined in this paper, and some means which have been used or proposed for their solution are described. Operating experience with one special application to a case of severe exposure to ice storms and high wind velocities is cited. Some of these special railroad problems have not yet been satisfactorily solved.