Locomotive snow blower

[OPCOM]

This one is not military, but are there military versions?

Huge..
Picasa Web Albums - Terry J - W1LYD

 

[scooter01922]

WOW, if you have to break that bad boy out you must have some real snow issues. Looks like a real old machine still earning its keep now and then.

 

[Jones]

Never seen a military rotary snow plow. They did try a small jet engine mounted in the bed of a pick-up to try to blow snow and ice out of the ground tracks of aircraft hanger doors.
Here's CSX's spin-off on the idea. In addition to the snow and ice, can you imagine the rocks and debris this thing throws?

 

[wsucougarx]

There is one on display up near Snoqualmie Falls.

 

[scooter01922]

That little guy looks like fun, anything with a jet looks like fun for that matter.

 

[papercu]

No military version but one served in WWII and was then scraped.
Snowplow ON, was bought by the US Army in 1942 for use in Alaska on the White Pass & Yukon which had been taken over and operated by the US Army Transportation Corps for the needs of the military operations. There, it became WP&YR rotary #3 and stayed in operation until 1947. It was then scrapped on location in 1968 and used as filling material in the Skagway River. Wayne
Denver & Rio Grande Western steam rotary snowplows

 

[papercu]

Here one in action. Wayne
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frBh5vO_2g0[/media]

 

[Ferroequinologist]

There is a Jordan Spreader at the Ft Eustis Transportation museum, it was used to shape ballast, but was also used in snow removal.

 

[mcmullag]

There is one on static display at the Museum of Trasportation in St. Louis, MO
Sorry could not find pics but here are the specs.

UNION PACIFIC #90081
Rotary Snowplow 1966
Biggest, heaviest rotary plow made, with 12-foot cutting wheel and 3,000-hp
engine to turn it using diesel-electric drive; weighs 376,400 lbs. fully loaded

mechanical folks, this place is worth a visit


Museum of Transportation St. Louis

 

[maddawg308]

That's just amazing. I thought they stopped using those old rotary snowblowers decades ago!

 

[Numbers]

There was a Military Rotary Snowblower:

Great Northern Empire - Then and Now
RRVW 113 (Red River Valley and Western), Rotary Snowplow, X1500, 1954 for US Army Received 12/1966, William Bros Boiler & Mfg. Co., Apparently the rear 4-wheel truck replaced the original 6-wheel type.
History: ex BN 972566, exx GN, nee US Army
Owner, Location: Red River Valley & Western, Breckenridge, MN
Status: Operational, used extensively winter 1996-97.

http://www.trainweb.org/rrsnowfighting/rotarys.html (note: site is screwed up with wrong color for lettering, select all will show you the letters)
This prototype was slightly smaller in size from the first prototype and was also dual gauge, being that it was built for the US Army. After Army service it then went to Great Northern, then to Burlington Northern. BN sold it in the late 1980's or early 1990's.

 

[Numbers]

Here are some pictures with a new paint job... Still in operation.

 

[DanMartin]

Blowers are really cool...I love the canyons they create (see that last pic with the truck).

For clearing them quick, the plow is the way to go:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlLomUyEnj0[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlA2INOpT78[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QenN5DVuLtw[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srVbUL2KeLY[/media]


I think they look cooler in action too.

Of course, there are hazards (Stuck):
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G-5l54f1GU&feature=PlayList&p=367F3C51436B56E0&index=0&playnext=1[/media]

Derailing:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql6MYFO4ihA[/media]

Cool stuff though....tough job.

 

[tacmedr17]

Russell Snow Plow Ridgway, PA

This is a great thread It covers two interests of mine MV and Railroad plows / blowers . the videos of the plows appear to be styled after the Russell Snow Plow that was manufactured here in my hometown Ridgway from the 1890'sto the 1930's they were originally all wood construction and weighed around 55,000 lbs. hear is a pic of The Russell Wing Elevator Snow Plow, Size No. 2, Plow No. 83. note the white oak planks. I was told one time that Russell had made a few for the military but have never come across any photos or info to suggest any truth

 

[DanMartin]

6 months later, that derailed plow was still on the side of the tracks. I'm assuming it's scrap:

http://media1.dropshots.com/photos/236214/20070710/b_162451.jpg

 

[maddawg308]

6 months later, that derailed plow was still on the side of the tracks. I'm assuming it's scrap:

http://media1.dropshots.com/photos/236214/20070710/b_162451.jpg

Looking closer, it's missing the trucks underneath. Perhaps they are already pulling parts from it, or someone else is.

 

[Wolf.Dose]

All these engineer who drive their locos throu the snow are somewhar hwroes fro they never did konow how the jounney ends. they are at least at the same level as the heroes who fought inthe previous wars.
My respect to them unknown!
Wolf

 

[dma251]

We had a HUGE (by Everett Washington standards) snowfall this year, and the Boeing factory where I work needed to get the snow off the flightline so we could move planes (specifically the new 787 AKA 7-late-7) to and from the paint hangers. The facilities guys rigged up an old Pratt & whitney engine on the back of a pickup truck and used it to melt/blow the snow off the paths used by the airplanes so we could move them around. I'll try to find some pics.

 

[pwrwagonfire]

Ive always been interested in 'weird' railroad equiptment such as these....closest Ive ever seen was a home-made caboose/snowplow