POINTS FAILURES ARE PREDICTABLE.

The best reason for the Roadmaster to keep the track in line, particularly through the frogs at switches, is that the jostling through the special-work is really good at jarring accumulated snow, ice, and probably mud off the frames of the rolling stock.

Should snow accumulate on the rolling stock and detach itself exactly due to excitation originating from a point of discontinuity of the rail, the snow is likely to drop at the location of a turnout. It was clearly observed in 2009–2010 that snow tends to drop from rolling stock in turnout areas; this means that, in adverse weather conditions, the acceleration levels created at turnout locations are sufficient to drop snow from rolling stock. The acceleration levels established by the measurements may therefore be used to develop methods to drop the snow, such as introducing intentional points of discontinuity in the rail to drop snow from the rolling stock.

I'm not so sure about that "intentional points of discontinuity." Joints, soft spots in the ballast, spikes or clamps working loose do a pretty good job of messing up that alignment.  Might be easier to keep the closure rails and stock rails in line.