Getting turnout and track ice free

[McRuss]

Hello,

today I encountered a problem with my garden railway. During the last three days here in southern Germany it snowed quite a lot.
So I decided yesterday to clear the tracks of my garden railway roughly from the snow, so that I hadn't to clear all when I decided to run some trains. Today I thought about giving my Ragleth a winter steam up. I went to the gardenrailway and had to clear it again from snow, because during the night it snowed again. Here I realized that the turnouts and on some spots the space between the rails was covered with layers of ice. I could remove most of the ice with a broom and a screw driver, but not all.
Is there a way to melt away the ice, or to protect the track from ice?

Markus

[jay1976]

car deicer works but test on a bit of track in case it melts the sleepers(v unlikely) or leave hot loco over that bit of track

[McRuss]

Hello Jay,

thank you for your reply. I thought about using some kitchensalt. Sprinkeled over the track and turnouts. Would these harm the track?

Markus

[MDLR]

Salt should be absolutely fine!

[IrishPeter]

Salt has been used on my line when 'in extremis.' Hot water is an occasional emergency measure, as are those el cheapo hand warmer things you find in drug stores, and service stations.  However, I usually get dry powder up here, so it does not clog things the way heavy wet snow does.  Usually a warm 'Millie' shifts anything that survives the Dutch hoe and a gentle attack with a screw driver.  FWIW, my snow clearing talents might get a work out tomorrow as we are due 3 to 6 inches over the next 24 hours.

Peter in AZ

[steampig]

For the similar problem of car doors that have frozen immovably shut when water has got into the seals, I have used a hair-dryer on an extension cord.

[kandnwlr]

The local Gauge 1 group in Switzerland group runs a New Year´s Day session, but ONLY if there is snow. I understand that car de-icer is their best friend for points / turnouts / whatever, which are all manually controlled.