Does anyone have any experience with freeze protection dump valves on diesel locomotives? If so, what model? Any problems?

These are the folks we use:

http://www.thermomegatech.com/categories/Railroad/

etalcos

Yes, I have been looking at those as well. Any issues with this product? Accidental discharges, maintenance issues, etc....?

Also check out http://www.ogontz.com for freeze protection valves. They have been in business for quite some time.

We used the GURU style valves with no problems for 10+ years on my former employers railroad. They worked reliably and are very easy to reset with their penny pincher stem. In the field, after a freeze trip, we would put them on the dash board by the defroster in our truck until the stem extended through the body, then put a penny in the slot and take them back out into the cold the retracting stem would pinch the penny and allow you to reapply the plug and refill the locomotive with cold water. After the engine water comes up to temperature the stem extends and the penny falls out and you have working freeze protection again. They had a fixed life and we would have to send them back to the factory for renewal of the expanding pellet, I believe they recommended every 2 years, we typically went about 4 years before we sent them back. I believe the color of the handle was the date code for return.

Mike Tillger

I agree with Mike 100%. They've saved our butt a couple times, when unexpected cold snaps or power failures on our block warmers have occurred. A very agreeable device to work with. My biggest complaint is where you have to plumb them into the system isn't always easy to get to with a welder (we use welded fittings to tap the cooling system) but that is more of an issue with the locomotive builder than the freeze plug manufacturer.

etalcos