Spectrum Track Switch Heaters to be used by Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
Spectrum Infrared, a division of Advanced Detection Systems, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio) announced that Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad has procured 70+ SPECTRUM RRSH Track Switch Heater to be installed at the Blue Island and Riverdale Yards. The unique design of the SPECTRUM RRSH provides a fully integrated control system, eliminating the need for way side control panels. The RRSH Track Switch Heater from SPECTRUM INFRARED reduces energy costs, increases reliability in the harshest of winter snow storms, and is the lowest life cycle cost track switch heater in the industry.
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad chose the RRSH-200 Series with an optional flex ducting to permit ease of installation of the heater cabinet, which has the rail industries lowest profile and installation envelope for electric forced air blowers. The unique design of the RRSH units will minimize the amount of energy in Btu’s required to keep the switches clear of snow and ice during the coldest period of winter. This will enable the switches to maintain full operation on these days.
The purpose of the CREATE B-15 Project is to improve the efficiency of rail operations over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railway and the Blue Island/Riverdale Yards and Dolton Junction. These advancements will allow the existing timetable speed to be increased from 15 to 25 mph and will reduce delays and congestion in the yards and terminals. This project was made possible in part by TIGER, Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery and ARRA, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.