Steam locomotive with snow plow

[jmlaboda]

Am wondering if anyone has modeled such a thing.  My freelanced lines will need a steamer that could clear heavier snows on less traveled branchlines and am in need of ideas on how applying such might be done.  I have seen the Miniatures by Eric plows but have no idea on how to mount such so any help would be appreciated!!!

[victor miranda]

the strange thing here is that I can't recall ever seeing a photo
 of a plow on the front end of a steam engine.
It has to exist.

A lot of steam engine pilots are plow shaped, so it may not have stood out?
 
The little I know about BAR was they ran plow trains separate from revenue.
I once saw a wedge type in Presque Isle.  ... that was after steam had long gone.

One story I read included the mention of adding another engine to push the plow
I recall it was a big storm and the date was 20's or 30's, so that was steam.
and there was an issue with keeping the plow on the rails when clearing drifts.

so I had decided snow clearing could derail cars and locos.
... that got me to: a loco off the rails is worse that a plow/car off the rails.

victor

[Paradise275]

I've seen pictures of steam locomotives on narrow gauge lines with snow plows.
Try looking for ideas there.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=steam+locomotives+with+plows&id=AECF8DD8DBD1590F8D8A152A43974F7FC1C29D6E&FORM=IQFRBA#view=detail&id=AECF8DD8DBD1590F8D8A152A43974F7FC1C29D6E&selectedIndex=0


Rick

[up1950s]

Many UP locos had plows such as this model of a 2-10-2  http://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Product/Detail/032955/HO-BLI-1297-Union-Pacific-UP-TTT-6-2-10-2-5057-Modernized-w--Sound

Bottom line , it depends on the loco and plow .

Rule 1 It needs to be a strong mating as plows sick out and are more likely to get snagged while man-handling .
Rule 2 The plow needs to be level , period .

Use whatever needs to be fabed out to accomplish the above .
PB wire to the boiler , ledges of plastic with whatever extensions , reinforced with PB wire , screws , tubes , etc .
The plow and loco will tell you what needs to be done . Looks will dictate how little you can get away with to do rule 1 and 2 .

[central.vermont]

The Boston & Maine put plows on their 2-6-0's and 2-8-0's.
Here's a shot of a 2-8-0 with a plow.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bm/bm-s2894ggC.jpg

At one time I had an HO PFM model of a B&M Mogul. It came with the plow that you put on in place of the standard road pilot.
Here is a photo of it. This may help.

Jon

[Dave Schneider]

The Cooper Copper Range up on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the snow belt of Lake Superior had snow plows on their locomotives as well. The region would get 200-300+ inches of snow per year.

Here is CR 29, now restored at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.


Best wishes, Dave

[nkalanaga]

The Rio Grande used them on several of their narrow gauge 2-8-2s, so pictures shouldn't be hard to find.  I believe theirs attached to the pilot beam just like any other pilot, with the addition of tierods attaching them to the smokebox, in order to support the extra weight.

They didn't like to leave the plows on in warmer weather because they're heavy, and change the balance of the locomotives.  Too much weight on the front drivers, and not enough on the rear, not only hurts traction, but damaged their light rail.

Here are two pictures of the same loco, now on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge, showing the plow and regular pilot.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2934987  7/14/1993


http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2317364  11/5/2010


Oddly, it seems that the D&SNG uses plows in the summer, but not in fall!  Of course, they're also seven years apart, and it is a tourist line, so they don't always think like a real railroad.  I was surprised to see the trees still green in Durango in early November, but checking other photos, and the posting dates, by the same photographer, the date seems to be correct.

[wazzou]

I believe both the Western Pacific and Southern Pacific had snowplow equipped Steam. 
I'll need to check my resources for photos.

[havingfuntoo]

Snow pilots and plows were used on the SP. GS-1 4407 had what they call a snow pilot before it went to the T&NO, on a quick check is the only proof of a GS-1 with one that I have. None of the GS-2,3,4,5,6, had them that I can find. They were quiet common on the MT'Class (4-8-2) and some of the smaller main line steam locos. Some of the 2-8-0's had quiet serious looking apparatuses attached to them. The SP also fitted some of their locos with clamshell exhaust deflectors to prevent damage to their snow shed tops and tunnels.   

[CBQ Fan]

Check photos of the Colorado & Southern steam engines.

[chicken45]

[mark dance]

One more...



Love those 2 footers!

md

[BCR751]

The Cooper Range up on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the snow belt of Lake Superior had snow plows on their locomotives as well. The region would get 200-300+ inches of snow per year.

Here is CR 29, now restored at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.


Best wishes, Dave

Hey, Dave, I think you mean the Copper Country  .  I went to school in Houghton and you're absolutely correct about the snow.

Doug

[jmlaboda]

Thanks so very much for all of this help... definitely a lot to consider and work from!!!  It is greatly appreciated!!!

[fire5506]

The Long Island Rail Road had some big plows they mounted on steamers. Here are a couple of pictures

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/morrispark/G53sd-144(4-6-0)-withWedgePlow_MPShops-c.1935_archiveDaveKeller.jpg

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirr%20engines/2-8-0_104_plow.jpg