Railroad Snowplow

FinsnFur · December 11, 2011, 09:05:22 PM

Ever wonder how they clear deep snow off the rail roads up here?

I found this thing taking a seasonal rest today. I wish I could have gotten the truck in there for scale to show the height of that blade. I'm estimating it to be between 12 and 14 feet tall.

slagmaker · December 11, 2011, 09:38:01 PM

When that there big blizzard hit Indiana back in 77-78 the railroad in front of my house had a drift that completly filled the cut in the hill from banl to bank level. That but the drift at about 24 feet deep.They used a steam engine with a snow blower on the front of it nto clear 4 miles of track. That thing was awsome. looked like some kind of fire breathing snow eating monster. I was 9 when that blizzard hit and that steam engine throwing snow hundreds of feet into the air is one of the things I remember best from that storm

FinsnFur · December 11, 2011, 10:27:50 PM

Oh I woulda loved to see that myself.

WldWldWest · December 12, 2011, 06:58:14 AM

Way Cool!!! Huge railfan here as my Dad was an Engineer for 42yrs, I have several Videos of the Older snowplows in action...I never get tired of watching em.

WWW

slagmaker · December 12, 2011, 09:48:33 AM

I wonder how they get the blade back onto the tracks. I looks like its just sitting on the ground in the pics

WldWldWest · December 12, 2011, 12:55:25 PM

I'm sure like most rail car it just sits down on top of two 4 wheeled trucks, they could be using em for something else or maybe its time to scrap the old girl?
Looks like the top has tanks in inside the car, They prolly use water for ballest. In the old days thay would just fill a gondola with scrap for weight and put a plow on it.

HaMeR · December 12, 2011, 03:09:49 PM

It sets on trucks like Doug mentioned & is lifted in place by a crane.

FinsnFur · December 12, 2011, 03:46:03 PM

Yeah the guy that owns this chuck of land, has cranes and all kinds of stuff there. They used to load barges with corn right off the rail cars.
The river is on the other side of that tree line in the last pic.

slagmaker · December 12, 2011, 04:21:29 PM

Well Jim your going to have to make a bee line over there when you have a heavy snow so we can see pics of them picking the ol girl up and setting her on the tracks. Wonder what she weighs in at without the ballast.

WldWldWest · December 12, 2011, 06:15:33 PM

Quote from: HaMeR on December 12, 2011, 03:09:49 PM
It sets on trucks like Doug mentioned & is lifted in place by a crane.

Actually they would place the trucks on the track and set the body down on top of it, Some of the older cars (Which I'm sure this is) the weight of the car held the trucks in place. nothing but a king pin going up into a bearing inside the car body with no keeper to hold it just gravity.

FOsteology · December 13, 2011, 06:10:47 PM

Imagine the wave of snow created by that beast as it's barreling down the track!

5 SHOTS · December 14, 2011, 06:16:59 PM

This is a big rotary in action. My friend Shawn is running it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCqEBdjaXpM&feature=related

These guys needed a rotary plow. It takes 5 videos to get it out.

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G-5l54f1GU&feature=related

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te_-OqA3b5w&feature=related

Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MljtNVn0K4c&feature=related

Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my-KjSMjj2k&feature=related

And finally....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06rMZZR2ZT4&feature=related

coyotehunter_1 · December 14, 2011, 07:00:18 PM

WOW!!! NOW that's some ~~snow~~ show!!!

Amazing, thanks!

slagmaker · December 14, 2011, 07:25:02 PM

Dat was cool!! Thanks Art.

FinsnFur · December 14, 2011, 10:01:05 PM

Yip, dats what she looks like!

A giant seagull flying in.

WldWldWest · December 15, 2011, 01:22:21 PM

How cool is that!?!?!?
Your right Art, They needed a Rotary....But it aint near as much fun too watch!

Dave · December 15, 2011, 06:40:26 PM

Great videos. That rotary one really kicks ass.