Trains get'skirts' to help them thaw

摘要

A novel approach has been adopted to thaw out First ScotRail DMUs. Limited depot capacity means it is not always possible to get units under cover to defrost their fuel lines, cooling systems and compressors, which has led to a shortage of stock. So engineers at Eastfield depot have devised a 'skirt' (or, to quote Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown, a'kilt'), which hangs from the lower bodyside, inside which is blown warm air, heated by propane. A unit can be defrosted in four hours. Unfortunately, no skirt has yet been devised that can prevent another problem - huge blocks of iced snow that are dislodged from the trackbed by trains and then bounce around underneath, damaging pipes and cables.