Ice Barrier®

Don’t Let Severe Winter Weather Delay Your Transit Vehicles

Midwest’s Ice Barrier utilizes NASA “smart fluid” technology to keep ice at bay on overhead catenary systems, allowing transit vehicles reliant on power lines to keep moving, even in the worst winter weather. Ice buildup on these power lines can cause expensive problems in two primary ways. First, even a small amount of excess weight from ice formation can cause lines to exceed their load limit designs. This can result in extra stresses to hangars and connectors and can drop lines from their mount.

Second, ice interferes with power transmission between the line and the contact shoe. This can stop a transit vehicle in its tracks. These problems result in expensive repairs and maintenance as well as costly delays (from ticket reimbursements or freight penalties). They are also labor-intensive to resolve.

Ice Barrier is the companion product to Midwest’s Zero Gravity Third Rail anti-icing agent, which also uses NASA’s Zero Gravity “smart fluid” to protect third rails from ice and snow buildup. Like its companion, Ice Barrier works as an anti-icing agent, preventing ice formation by disrupting the freezing structure of water molecules, thereby lowering the freezing point. This keeps moisture from forming ice crystals or solid bonds to treated surfaces.

Ice Barrier works very efficiently, only requiring a thin film on wires. While it sprays on as a liquid, the “smart fluid” ingredient allows it to become highly viscous, forming a gel-like layer on wires that resists being washed away and that forms a barrier between moisture and the surface of the wire.