On Track with Pulse Width Modulated Electric Rail Heating System

A Better Mousetrap: How We Built the Hottest, Most Precise PWM Electric Rail Heating System

In January 2015, a powerful storm hit New England, with blizzard conditions and areas receiving up to three feet of snow. Snow emergencies were declared, and travel bans enacted—and most passenger rail transit services were shut down.

At that time, NIBE Element Railway Solutions, known throughout Europe for its advanced, automated rail heating systems, was expanding into the North American market. The NIBE team took note of the major failures of the traditional track switch heating systems used by the transit authorities in the areas hit by the blizzard. They felt there had to be a better way to keep tracks free of ice and snow—and keep trains running—and embarked upon a self-initiated challenge to create the ultimate track switch heating system.

Reimagining Rail Switch Heating Technology

A dynamic team comprised of engineers and customers from NIBE and its sister companies in Europe, SAN Electro Heat and Omni Control Technology, came together with the vision to bring the most advanced heating and monitoring technology to North American rail—both revenue service and railyards.

At the simplest level, a switch rail and switch rod must be heated to keep rail switches free of ice and snow so that railways can operate smoothly and reliably year-round. Traditional systems rely upon flat or round tubular switch point heaters and manual controls that required the system to be turned on at the beginning of the winter season and turned off at winter’s end—or to be controlled through a remote dispatch control facility. The limitations of a traditional system include:

• A dispatcher’s role is to move trains; focusing on heaters 4 to 5 months a year is not a priority and is often times overlooked
• Loss of heat due to gaps in coiled heater deployments diminishes efficiency
• Indiscriminate application of heat along all points
• A maximum of 400 watts of heat per foot in extreme weather conditions 
• Exorbitant amount of energy used to power system 24/7, all season long

While the team’s primary objective was to create an exceptional heat source that could manage extreme weather conditions, it became apparent that the need to monitor conditions and better control when and where heat is applied to the rail was also necessary.

American Ingenuity Built on European Technology

At this time, NIBE’s sister companies had proven automated rail heating systems in place throughout Europe for over 15 years. Working closely with the Northeast transit authority impacted by the 2015 blizzard—and building upon the efficacy of its European platform—the team invented, and patented, the world’s first dual-element, pulse width modulated electric rail switch heating system.

NIBE’s Blue Point dual-element switch heating system uses pulse width modulated (PWM) technology to dial in the exact wattage needed. In extreme conditions, heat—as much as 600 watts per foot—is applied to switch rail and switch rods to keep rails free of ice and snow. The team not only succeeded in inventing the hottest rail heater in the industry—and the only heater with a 10-year warranty—they also created an automated PWM system to pinpoint where and when heat is applied. The unique aspects of PWM include:

1. The system will “dial in” the correct effective amount of wattage, 100 w/ft up to 600 w/ft
2. The system only uses the extreme heat for extreme condition—nominally energy efficient
3. The heating elements are isolated such that a redundant path can operate even if the other fails
4. No trenching is needed to implement the dual element—existing heater cabling can be used

The team leveraged their expertise to create automated controllers, exceptionally hot heaters, and the industry’s only third-party monitoring system. Perhaps the outcome of the team’s effort with the most impact is the PWM controller’s ability to modulate energy use, making it possible for railway authorities to achieve energy savings of 90% or more.

Combined with proactive 24/7 call center monitoring, remote diagnostics, and real-time alerts, the Blue Point system has already proven its mettle for several U.S. transit authorities, helping them to avoid costly delays, boost performance, and significantly reduce energy costs. 

In addition to boosting performance metrics and energy savings, NIBE has received positive feedback from on-site personnel responsible for track maintenance. Initially skeptical of the “high tech” aspect of the system, they are now singing the Blue Point system’s praises—something our team takes great pride in knowing that we are on the right track!  

Custom Design Your Track Switch Heating System

NIBE helps solve unique rail heating challenges with custom-designed, and USA-manufactured, heating and monitoring solutions. We’re here to help you create the best rail heating solution for your needs and boost your performance indicators while reducing the carbon footprint.

• Energy cost savings of 90% and higher
• Robust, longest-lasting heater with full 10-year warranty
• Hottest electric rail heating system you can buy—500-600 watts—tackles extreme conditions
• Targeted, precise PWM monitoring applies heat to rail track switch, only when and where it is needed 

How can we help you with your next rail switch heating project? Contact an engineer today to set up a consultation. We look forward to helping you soon.