Flanger (railroad)

A flanger (also known as a scraper or digger) is a railroad car that clears the space between the rails, generally of ice and snow.

While a wedge plow can remove snow above the surface of the rails, the flanger removes snow and ice from below the surface of the rails where the railway wheel flanges fit.

[1] Railway locomotives and cars can be derailed if the flangeway is filled.

[1] To avoid damaging the flanger blades, the operator must raise them when the flanger car approaches a railroad switch or grade crossing.

[3] In regions where flangers are often used, signs are posted alongside the tracks to alert the operators to raise the blade.