Miscellaneous Snow Equipment
These are some of the more unusual and interesting pieces of snowfighting
equipment.
Conrail SB1000, a modern snowblower, near Buffalo.
This snowblower, the modern version of the rotary, was imported from
Germany to fight lake-effect snow around Buffalo. It has dual
snowblower units, which can throw snow to either side, and it can
rotate 180 degrees on its chassis to plow in the other direction.
Photo: "racer"
Rio Grande flanger OC at the Colorado Railroad Museum.
This little flanger clearly shows the blades used to clear snow
from between the rails. Larger equipment such as Jordan spreaders
may also be equipped for flanging.
Photo: Brian Fritz
Denver & Rio Grande Western 052, an old standard gauge flanger, at
Alamosa, CO, 4 August 1987.
Photo: Evan Werkema
Rio Grande 062, another old standard gauge flanger, at Alamosa, CO,
4 August 1987.
Photo: Evan Werkema
Lehigh & Hudson River flanger #305.
This is a typical (but rather old) flanger, essentially a caboose with
flanger blades hung under it.
Photo: photographer unknown, courtesy of John Stewart
Southern Pacific MW319, a large, modern flanger, at Roseville, CA,
17 August 1996.
Photo: Evan Werkema
Rio Grande 489, on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic, Chama, NM.
This compact little Mikado is wearing a snowplow pilot for winter
duty.
Photo: Brian Fritz
Durango & Silverton 473 with a pilot plow.
Photo: Brian Fritz
A Union Pacific SD60M wearing a pile of snow. This unit has
obviously met with a large amount of snow, and is still wearing much
of it.
Photo: photographer unknown
Union Pacific 168 (GP9) plowing light snow at Moulton, Iowa, Feb. 1980
Photo: SEDD@aol.com
Another view of UP 168, this time near Bloomfield, Iowa, same date.
Photo: SEDD@aol.com
Kershaw snow broom at the Rocester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
This device, built in 1969, was formerly used by Eastman Kodak Company.
Burlington Northern 972577, a rotary snowplow power unit, at
Skykomish, WA, 27 July 1982.
This power unit was converted from a F9B, originally Northern Pacific
7013C.
Photo: Evan Werkema
Southern Pacific 4817, a snow-duty GP38-2, at Stockton, CA, 28 May
1996.
SP has a fleet of GP38-2s fitted for service in snow removal service
in the Sierras. They have icicle breakers, plows, defrosters, special
windows, etc.
Photo: Evan Werkema
A Canadian Pacific boxcar outfitted for icicle-breaking service.
Photo: Alan Radecki
Number 9, a snow-sweeper trolley from Washington DC, clearing snow.
This trolley was built in 1898.
Photo: Louis Buchler, postcard courtesy of Larry Smith
Quebec Lighh & Power Co. #454 clearing snow at the Seashore Trolley Museum.
Photo: M. Dwight Winkley, courtesy of Robert Kelly
MBTA trolley-plow 5098 on Commonwealth Ave, Brighton.
Photo: Paul Leahy, courtesy of Robert Kelly
This feature created and maintained by Andrew Toppan.
Copyright © 1997, Andrew Toppan. All Rights Reserved.
All photographs are copyright by the photographer.