True grit

Autumnal chaos on the railways caused by leaves on the tracks may soon be a
thing of the past, according to Rail Product Design of Doncaster. Leaves form a
slippery film on rails, making trains skid. The British company proposes
tackling the leaves with a sandy mixture that is spread on the track from a
light trolley, which is lifted onto the track near the slippery rails (GB
2354500). The trolley carries a bottle of iron filings in a gel, and a sand
hopper. This gel and sand mixture breaks down the slippery leaf film, preventing
skidding. Passing trains…