In times gone by a railroad track pan was an item that brought to mind thoughts of steam trains. Because they converted water to steam to create power they had an on going requirement for water. This dependence on regular top ups of water had a restricting effect on the total distance a steam train could travel without stopping.
One way to solve this problem was to place water tanks at spaced out intervals alongside the track. The downside of this solution was that delays were caused while trains waited for their water tanks to fill up. All of these stoppages to take on water significantly increased the length of time a train journey would take.
The way this problem was dealt with was by using track pans. These pans were a type of open topped tank that was built on an open section of track and placed in between the rails. Trains passing by that needed to take on water would lower a type of scoop into the pan while still moving, causing water to be forced up into the locomotive's water tank.
More recently, though, the term has come to mean a different type of pan that is also designed for a different purpose. The purpose of the modern track pan is to trap pollutants, usually in liquid form, before they contaminate the environment. Mostly this means catching fuel, oil or anything else that can leak out of a locomotive or railroad car.
Most often this type of pan is seen at locations where loading and unloading, refuelling and washing are done as well as any other place where contamination of the surrounding environment due to spillages can occur. Track pans are also referred to as drip pans as this name describes their basic function which is to contain leaking contaminants. This allows the collected material to be easily and safely disposed of.
A variety of materials can be used in the construction of drip pans like concrete, steel and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). The type of substances that are to be contained as well as whether they are to be used on a temporary or permanent basis can influence the materials used to construct the pans. Their layout and design may also be affected by the same factors.
Time schedules are usually very restrictive and important to operators of rail services and as a result it is vital that drip pans are quick and simple to install so they are not the cause of much down time. Modular pan systems are very popular due to these time pressures. If a part of a modular system is damaged or wears out it is possible to replace only the affected part rather than the whole system. Big savings in both time and money are made as a result.
Each railroad track pan can either be used on its own, in which case it is basically intended only for incidental spill containment, or connected to other pans or a secondary tank installed below the level of the track. If several pans are used together they are usually connected together by a manifold that runs across all of the pans. This gives the overall system a much higher carrying capacity because if a high amount of material is collected into one of the pans it is spread out among the rest of the pans in the system.
One way to solve this problem was to place water tanks at spaced out intervals alongside the track. The downside of this solution was that delays were caused while trains waited for their water tanks to fill up. All of these stoppages to take on water significantly increased the length of time a train journey would take.
The way this problem was dealt with was by using track pans. These pans were a type of open topped tank that was built on an open section of track and placed in between the rails. Trains passing by that needed to take on water would lower a type of scoop into the pan while still moving, causing water to be forced up into the locomotive's water tank.
More recently, though, the term has come to mean a different type of pan that is also designed for a different purpose. The purpose of the modern track pan is to trap pollutants, usually in liquid form, before they contaminate the environment. Mostly this means catching fuel, oil or anything else that can leak out of a locomotive or railroad car.
Most often this type of pan is seen at locations where loading and unloading, refuelling and washing are done as well as any other place where contamination of the surrounding environment due to spillages can occur. Track pans are also referred to as drip pans as this name describes their basic function which is to contain leaking contaminants. This allows the collected material to be easily and safely disposed of.
A variety of materials can be used in the construction of drip pans like concrete, steel and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). The type of substances that are to be contained as well as whether they are to be used on a temporary or permanent basis can influence the materials used to construct the pans. Their layout and design may also be affected by the same factors.
Time schedules are usually very restrictive and important to operators of rail services and as a result it is vital that drip pans are quick and simple to install so they are not the cause of much down time. Modular pan systems are very popular due to these time pressures. If a part of a modular system is damaged or wears out it is possible to replace only the affected part rather than the whole system. Big savings in both time and money are made as a result.
Each railroad track pan can either be used on its own, in which case it is basically intended only for incidental spill containment, or connected to other pans or a secondary tank installed below the level of the track. If several pans are used together they are usually connected together by a manifold that runs across all of the pans. This gives the overall system a much higher carrying capacity because if a high amount of material is collected into one of the pans it is spread out among the rest of the pans in the system.
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