Swedish firm Trafikverket, in a joint venture with Railcare, has unveiled a snow clearing machine that will melt snow on rail yards and depots.

A locomotive propels the 60m-long vehicle, which will be able to remove up to 800m3 of snow in a single operation, while clearing an area up to 5m wide.

The Snow Removal 700 melts the snow instead of ploughing it from the track, and test operations of the machine will begin on 15 November in Stockholm.

Trafikverket plans to deploy the new snow clearing machine at yards in Tomteboda, Värtan, Västberga, and Södertälje, and can be used at Stockholm Local Transport (SL) depots.