Rail switch heating peak current mitigation

A method for reducing electricity consumption by railroads, comprising:

• providing a plurality of electrically resistive heating elements configured for mounting on at least one railroad rail, the plurality of electrically resistive heating elements comprising first, second, third, and fourth electrically resistive heating elements;
• providing a controller comprising a processor, memory, first and second high voltage channels arranged in a first bank and third and fourth high voltage channels arranged in a second bank, the first and second high voltage channels configured to connect an electric current to the first and second electrically resistive heating elements, respectively, via respective first and second junctions, the third and fourth high voltage channels configured to connect the electric current to the third and fourth electrically resistive heating elements, respectively, via respective third and fourth junctions;
• repeatedly cycling, by the controller, the electric current on and off to the first and second banks of channels by cycling the electric current on to the first bank of channels when the electric current is cycled off to the second bank of channels and vice-versa.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause a machine to:

• provide electric current to first and second high voltage channels arranged in a first bank and to third and fourth high voltage channels arranged in a second bank, the first and second high voltage channels configured to connect the electric current to respective first and second electrically resistive heating elements configured to be disposed on respective first and second railroad rails, the third and fourth high voltage channels configured to connect the electric current to respective third and fourth electrically resistive heating elements configured to be disposed on respective third and fourth railroad rails;
• repeatedly cycle the electric current on and off to the first and second banks of channels, wherein the electric current is cycled on to the first bank of channels when the electric current is cycled off to the second bank of channels and vice-versa.