Methods and means of preventing icing, or of deicing, railway permanent way rails andthe like

摘要

An exothermic composition, for use in deicing railway lines, comprises a mixture of carbon, in the form of finely divided charcoal, coal, coke or anthracite, and an oxidizing agent such as an alkali metal nitrate or chlorate. The mixture is contained within a cardboard box having an aluminothermic lighting means the box being covered on five sides by heat insulation contained within wire mesh.