Lesson plan
Sandite
Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland, US, the Netherlands and Belgium to combat leaves on the line, which can cause train wheels to slide and become damaged with flat spots. Sandite consists of a mixture of sand, antifreeze and steel shot. Leaf build up on the railhead can also cause signalling issues and 'disappearing trains' on the rail control systems (because of the electrically insulating effect of the leaves, which can prevent operation of track circuits). British Rail conducted research, in 1976, to determine the suitability of Sandite for use as an adhesion improver.
Article summary
Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland, US, the Netherlands and Belgium to combat leaves on the line, which can cause train wheels to slide and become damaged with flat spots. Sandite consists of a mixture of sand, antifreeze and steel shot. Leaf build up on the railhead can also cause signalling issues and 'disappearing trains' on the rail control systems (because of the electrically insulating effect of the leaves, which can prevent operation of track circuits). British Rail conducted research, in 1976, to determine the suitability of Sandite for use as an adhesion improver.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.